Guess I'm Going with You
by MusicPlayer81
Summary: Korra hides from the Red Lotus at Lin Beifong's place and learns a lot more than she anticipated about the police chief. Collaboration with JHLZNTL! Rated T for Language to be safe! Not related to my other story "A New Start!"
1. Chapter 1

"I'm tired of waiting!" Lin snapped. "You need to come back with me to Republic City, where I can protect you."

"Lin, you can't protect me from everything," retorted Korra.

"If it's safety you're concerned about, don't worry," interjected Suyin. "Zaofu is one of the safest cities in the world."

"I don't think either of you understand the threat headed this way," Lin said brusquely. "These benders are unlike anything either of you have ever faced."

Suyin subtly used her seismic sense to monitor her older sister's vitals. The chief's breathing was faster than normal as was her heart rate; whatever was going on, it was rattling her, and that alone was cause for concern. Suyin moved closer to her sister and hesitantly put an hand on her shoulder. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked softly.

Lin shook Suyin's hand off her shoulder. "They tried kidnapping Korra shortly after she was named the Avatar. Tenzin, Tonraq, Lord Zuko, and Chief Sokka were barely able to take them down. I and my fellow officers have been interrogating them for the past 13 years and not a single one of them has broken. So yeah, maybe I'm a little on edge."

Suyin's eyes widened. The members of Team Avatar looked at each other in dismay.

"Korra, I think Chief Beifong is right," Asami said quietly. Lin had always liked Asami, even when she thought she was an Equalist sympathizer. She was intelligent, pragmatic, and could hold her own in a fight. Plus, she seemed to be the only one who could ever talk sense into that hot-headed Avatar. "If there are benders out there with powers we've never seen before trying to kidnap you again, we won't be able to protect you."

"Wha—I don't believe this!" Korra fumed. "Su, you can't agree with this!"

"I surprised to say this, but I am inclined to agree with my sister," Suyin said. "Zaofu may be safe, but if these people are as extraordinary as Lin is implying then I'm willing to be they've been watching you for a while. They'll know you're stubborn and likely to ignore any action that will make you look cowardly. If you go with my sister, you'll buy yourself some time."

"But the airbenders—"

"Mako, Bolin, and I will continue looking for them," Asami soothed. "Go. We'll handle this."

Korra frowned and turned to Lin. "Guess I'm going with you, Chief."

Lin curtly nodded at her new charge. "Good. I'll see you at 0500 tomorrow. With any luck, we'll get back to Republic City by sundown."

The next day, the group assembled at the launching bay. Suyin sent the Avatar off with a warm hug and a piece of meteorite for metalbending practice. As Lin began walking towards the airship, Suyin caught her hand. "Stay safe out there," she said, squeezing it gently. Lin pulled her hand back and hesitantly drew her sister in for a hug. "You too." Without another word she and Korra entered the airship, anxiously heading towards their destination.

* * *

"I have to say Beifong, I genuinely thought you lived at police headquarters." Lin had decided to keep the Avatar at her apartment. Located on the edge of the business district close to her office, her home was surprisingly spacious. The front door opened into a large sitting room; to the right was the kitchen and dining room, and to the left was a hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

"I pretty much live there anyways," Lin replied. "Your room is the last door on the right, and the bathroom door is the one before it if you want to freshen up. Either way, noodles will be ready in 20 minutes—hope you like spicy food since that's what we're eating tonight."

Korra rolled her eyes and set off to put away her luggage and wash up. She put her luggage in the designated guest bedroom. The room was a good size and nicely appointed, with white sheets and a fresh coat of paint. The closet had more than enough room for her clothes, and Korra was able to put away some of her books as well. She was about to help set the table when the desk caught her eye. Or rather, what was on it.

There were three pictures, each in their own simple wooden frames. The first showed a stern child gazing unflinchingly into the camera while holding the hand of a child with a large smile and an even larger bow. _Wow, Lin has had the same personality since forever,_ Korra thought. The next picture showed a bored Suyin and serious Toph flanking an uncharacteristically happy Lin who was clothed in a shiny new metalbending officer uniform. _Yikes, looks like her relationship with Suyin has been strained since forever too_. Finally, Korra picked up the last photo. It was a portrait of a woman in her 30s and her daughter, who appeared to be no older than seven years old. Korra began to analyze the photo more closely when Lin's voice disrupted her concentration. Not wanting to keep the metalbender waiting, she put the photo in her pocket and moved towards the dining room.

Once there, she found Lin silently eating her noodles. Korra sat across from her and took a large mouthful of noodles. Startled by their spiciness, she promptly spit out her noodles and guzzled her glass of water.

"Spirits Lin, are you half Fire Nation or something? This is painfully hot!"

Lin snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "Forgive me for being interested in the background of the woman who's taken me to her own house to keep me safe."

"You and me both," Lin bitterly replied.

Korra's head snapped up. "What?"

Lin sighed. "I've never met my father. Don't even know his name. My mother didn't think it was important enough to tell me who my own father was."

The Avatar sat back in her seat, absorbing this new information. "What was it like growing up with Toph as your mom? Was it like growing up with a real-life superhero?"

Beifong harshly laughed and shook her head. "That's what you would think, right? Maybe that's what it would have been like if she had actually been around instead of leaving me and Suyin to fend for ourselves. Sometimes she would even send us to Air Temple Island under the guise of a 'stay-cation,' but I saw it for was it was: her caring more about her job than about us."

Korra hesitated before pulling out the picture that she had found. "But surely there were good times too? I mean look at this picture, you and your mom seem so happy here!"

The Chief of Police angrily snatched the photo from Korra's hands. "You don't know what you're talking about!" She roared, angrily stomping off to her bedroom. "Not a single clue!" On that note she slammed the door so hard the walls shook, leaving a stunned Korra at the kitchen table.

* * *

After washing and putting away the dishes, Korra found herself knocking on Beifong's bedroom door. "Go away," Lin muttered.

"I promise it will only take a second."

Korra felt the door unlock and spring open. She found Beifong reading the newspaper in her pajamas on a rather large bed. "Make it quick," she said, her eyes not lifting from the pages. Korra noticed that her eyes were red and slightly puffy, which made her feel even worse.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I know that these past few days have been stressful, what with reuniting with Suyin and having to keep track of these bad guys that are following me. I know that your family is a touchy subject, and I shouldn't have pressed you about it. I'm sorry."

The Avatar turned to leave, but stopped and faced Beifong. "Chief, I also want to let you know that you don't have to worry about me. Yeah all these bad guys are after me, but we've been through worse and turned out fine."

Lin carefully folded the paper and patted her bed. "Sit, Avatar," she said. "We have a lot to go over."

Korra carefully seated herself on the bed as the police chief rose, subtly dabbed her eyes, and perused her bookshelf. After finding a blue leather-bound album, she sat down next to Korra and began leafing through the glossy pages.

"Do you remember the first time you met Tenzin?" She asked, her eyes scanning the pages.

"Um, barely," Korra answered confusedly. "I remember thinking that he was really tall, and also that he looked funny because I'd never seen anyone in monk's robes before."

"Do you remember anything else?"

"Well, I'm not sure if this part is true or not but I remember him bringing a woman. I called her Metal Lady because she didn't move the same way that he did, and her clothes looked like they were sculpted from metal."

Lin paused and showed the book to Korra. The Avatar gasped. There in front of her was a portrait of a younger Lin and Tenzin in Korra's home. Sitting on a bemused Lin's lap was a wildly grinning Korra, clearly thrilled with being in the metalbender's presence.

"You were real? You were Metal Lady?"

Beifong chuckled. She hadn't heard that nickname in a _very_ long time. "That was me. You followed me everywhere that trip. Tenzin was so jealous that you paid more attention to me than to him."

Korra held the book in her hands, her eyes probing every detail of the picture. "So our first meeting wasn't when you arrested me."

"No, we go back much farther than that. You'll find that I've been a lot more present in your life than you realize, Avatar."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Have you ever wondered why you had to wait an extra year to learn earthbending?"

Korra looked shocked. "How did you know about that?"

Lin smirked. "Because I was supposed to be your earthbending master. The night before I was supposed to leave a brutal turf war broke out in Dragon Flats. It should have been dealt with quickly, but it soon became very clear that this was going to be a very long and bloody affair. So instead of teaching you I personally chose your interim earthbending master. By the time I finished cleaning up that mess you were steadily progressing under your master. I didn't want to disrupt any progress that you'd made so I formally renounced my claim to teaching you. I always figured I would teach you metalbending but with the Equalists and all I pushed it to the back of my mind. Besides, looks like Suyin's taken care of that."

Korra kept silent, perusing the photo album in front of her. Lin had saved photos, letters from her parents, and even telegraphs from the White Lotus detailing her progress. "Damn Chief, you've really been looking after me this entire time," Korra said. "And I thought you didn't like me."

"Oh no, you're incredibly frustrating and a pain in my ass," Beifong confirmed. "But you're my pain in the ass, and Spirits help whoever dares to hurt you. I'll knock them on their ass so fast they won't see what's coming."

Korra cracked up and embraced the metalbender. "Love you too Chief!" Her eyes widened upon realizing what she was doing and she let go quickly. "I'm just going to go to my room before you kill me."

Before the Avatar could move she pulled her into a tight hug. "Love you too kid," she said gruffly, trying to hide her emotions. "But if you so much as lay an arm around my shoulders in front of the others I will earthbend you all the way to Ba Sing Se. Are we clear?"

Korra vigorously nodded. She may be the Avatar, but she didn't doubt for a second that Lin wouldn't make good on her promise.

"Good. Now if you'll do me a favor, can you please put the picture you took of my daughter and I back in its frame please?"

* * *

Korra froze. "Your what?" She squeaked.

"My daughter. Seriously, you didn't look at the picture? It's very clearly not me and my mother. Toph never stares directly at the camera. Thank the spirits you're not one of my detectives."

The Avatar took the photo from the police chief's hands and examined it more closely. Sure enough, Lin and her two scars were looking directly at the camera. Lin's hands rested on the shoulders of her daughter, who wore a satin bow in her hair. The little girl looked every bit a younger Lin, down to the high cheekbones and short, dark wavy hair. Her gaze was unsettlingly familiar, though Korra couldn't place why.

"She's beautiful Lin. What's her name?"

"Chen. This is an old photo—she's 13 years old now and the light of my life. Take a look."

Korra took a different photo album from Lin's hands. This one was bound in green leather and embossed with the Beifong insignia of the flying boar. Inside, she found photos of the young girl from infancy to childhood through to present day. As Korra flipped through the pages, she saw Lin's meticulous handwriting list the dates of important events such as her first steps or her first lost tooth. Finally, Korra came across the last two photos. The first one, dated two weeks ago, portrayed Chen in an elaborately patterned cheongsam, her fingers hovering over a guzheng. The second, dated two months ago, showed an ecstatic Chen embracing an exhausted but smiling Lin. Both were in training uniforms from the Metalbending Police Academy, though Chen's was too large for her small frame.

"That first one was taken at her spring concert. She's a stellar guzheng player," Lin said, her eyes shining in admiration. "Her control over metal is so fine that she uses metalbending to play the strings of her instrument, not a pick. Which is how, as you can see in the other photo, she beat me soundly in sparring. She is really something else."

"Wow, she seems like a great kid," Korra grinned. "You and her father must be so proud."

"Her father isn't involved in her life," Lin said curtly, moving to get the picture frame for the photo Korra had taken. "It's better for her that way."

Korra cleared her throat uneasily. "I don't mean to be that person, Chief, but aren't you doing to your daughter exactly what your mother did to you?"

Lin froze. Korra mentally swore at herself. _Shit, didn't you just promise her that you wouldn't bug her about her family? Get it together Korra!_

The chief simply sighed. "Kid, you really don't have a clue do you? Take a closer look at her concert photo. It will come to you."

Korra examined the concert photo. Chen was a slim, delicate thing, with long wavy hair much like Asami's flowing smoothly over her shoulders. She bore a look of concentration that looked so much like—well, like Tenzin concentrating over his ancient scrolls. As she looked at the photo, she only became more certain. Her cheekbones, her nose, her lips—those were all Lin. That intense but even-keeled gaze? It couldn't be denied.

When Beifong returned to the bedroom, Korra looked up at her with realization in her eyes. "She's Tenzin's, isn't she?"

Lin nodded. "Yes," she said softly as she rejoined Korra on her bed. "She is." Korra watched Lin closely. The Chief of Police reminded her of a stone wall. She was tough, uncompromising, and hardly capable of emotions other than anger and annoyance. This Lin, however, was caring, sentimental, and unnervingly vulnerable. Korra reached out and gently put a hand on her newfound maternal figure's shoulder. Lin grabbed her hand and squeezed it for comfort.

"I didn't know I was pregnant until three months after Tenzin had left me for Pema," she said. "I even arranged a tea date for us so that I could deliver the good news. He, however, brought Pema and her engagement ring to the venue. That's when I knew I could never tell him."

"So he doesn't know? Period?"

"No, and the more I thought about it the more I realized how stupid a move telling him would be. He would have wanted to leave her for me, but I was 37 when I got pregnant with Chen and 38 when she was born. At best I could have had two more kids, and considering how strong earthbending runs in the family there's no way to guarantee that they would've been born airbenders. I mean, Chen mastered metalbending last year!" Lin hesitated but continued. "He needed someone to help carry on the Air Nomad lineage, and that wasn't going to be me."

Korra nodded. Lin was strong, but Korra had never realized just how strong; she couldn't imagine how painful it would be to raise the child of the love of her life without them knowing, and having them in incredibly close proximity no less.

"I think the most hysterical part is that I've literally hidden her in plain sight. She uses the Beifong name, and if she doesn't have guzheng practice after school lets out she walks over to my office and does her homework there until we leave for dinner. When I'm in meetings she's watched by the other officers, has been in my office when Tenzin's dropped by on official business, and still he's never noticed. I think Tenzin might have even led her classroom tour of Air Temple Island, and her class can't be more than 15 people. For a champion of introspection, he is quite possibly one of the least perceptive people I've ever met."

"Clearly if you were pregnant and he didn't notice."

"Well, he never actually saw me pregnant. I took a leave of absence to the ancestral home in Gaoling, where she was born perfectly healthy. By the time we returned, Republic City was in a frenzy since Tenzin was getting married. He and his family were so preoccupied that they never realized something was different—which is good, because I would have been toast the minute Katara sensed anything. And considering I don't talk to my mother or my sister, no one in our respective families knows about her existence."

"Wow, you Beifongs know how to hide people. Toph was completely hidden from the world until she was 12, and I've been in Republic City for two years now and I've never seen or heard anything that would have tipped me off to her presence. Shit Chief, if you've hidden Chen in plain sight of Tenzin there's no way these bad guys can find me!"

Lin and Korra laughed together, but Korra soon grew curious. "Does she know that Tenzin's her dad? Also, where is she? I haven't seen or heard anyone but us in your apartment all evening."

"She's a smart girl. She's seen our interactions and knows how stilted they are, so I think she has an idea. But whereas I harangued my mother for my father's identity, she hasn't asked a single time, not even when she was little. She says that she doesn't care at all who her father is, having me as her mother is more than enough for her. That's definitely Tenzin's side of her personality, spirits knows I drove my mother up a wall with that question. As to her location, she's currently attending a music camp with her school in Gaoling. I had actually just dropped her off when I got the news about Zaheer and headed straight to your location in Ba Sing Se. I'm hoping that all this Zaheer nonsense will be over soon so I can bring her home. Once she's back, it would be nice if you came over. She would love to meet you."

Korra smiled a genuine smile. "I would love that."

A few moments passed in comfortable silence. Korra looked through the album Lin had kept for her, and Lin added more notes in her album for Chen.

"Thank you for listening," Lin said softly.

Korra looked up curiously.

"As I'm sure you've realized by now, I'm not exactly one for openness. That's my doing—I need a strong barrier between work and home. With my mother, the lines were constantly blurred, and I want to provide a stable, loving atmosphere for my daughter where she knows that she is the focus of my attention. But it's also because I don't want her to be exposed to the expectations of my or her father's world. The minute it's discovered that Aang has a fifth grandchild her whole world will change. She already faces high expectations as the daughter of the Police Chief and granddaughter of the founder of metalbending, but adding the fact that her grandfather was the Avatar AND the last airbender? That's too much to put on anyone's shoulders, much less a 13-year-old girl's. She's so young and she has so many interests, like joining the force or going to music conservatory—I want to give her the freedom to explore that, so when she walks her own path in the world she knows it's by her choice and her choice alone."

"You don't have to explain yourself Chief," she said, then reaching out for Lin's hand. "But I'm glad you did anyways."

Lin allowed herself a small smile and returned to her work.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"You have been ever since I brought you here."

Korra snorted good-naturedly. She was wondering when that Beifong was going to reemerge.

"Would you be my metalbending master? Suyin's taught me some of the basics but I won't be returning to Zaofu anytime soon, and-" the Avatar would have continued talking had Lin not chucked Suyin's meteorite piece towards her head.

"Normally when one sees an object hurtling towards their head, they try standing their ground and facing it, not ducking. If that's the extent of what Suyin's taught you, then we have _a lot_ to go over."

With a wicked grin Korra bent the meteorite piece back at the master metalbender. The rest of the night was spent in laughter trying to escape the meteorite that kept flying between the two women. For the first time in a long time, Korra felt at peace. And though she knew it wouldn't last, she had to give Beifong credit for finding happiness in even the hardest of times.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed this version! I'm low-key bitter that there was never a child between Chief Beifong and Tenzin. To be fair though there are future comics, so one can dream right?


	2. Chapter 2

I own none of these characters! Please R&R!

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the blinds as the Avatar luxuriously stretched. She stayed still in bed; she couldn't hear any movement, so Lin was surely still asleep. Their night "practicing" with the meterorite had run long, and Korra was sure it would be at least another hour before the chief would awaken. Carefully standing up, she padded barefoot through the hallway and turned into the sitting room only to find a fully dressed Lin enjoying a cup of tea over the morning paper.

"I see you got your beauty rest," Lin said, neatly folding the news section.

"Guess so," Korra said, blinking as she acclimated herself to being fully awake. "What time is it anyways?"

"It's 10:30 in the morning. Would have woken you up, but considering how little sleep you normally get it seemed cruel. I really must be getting soft."

Korra laughed as she scanned her guardian's pantry. It was surprisingly well-stocked, with an array of fruits and vegetables only bested by the orchards of Air Temple Island. _Damn, Lin was holding OUT with those noodles yesterday_ , Korra thought. Eventually she settled on an apple and a couple ginger tea biscuits before moving to join Lin on the couch.

"Don't even think about eating on this couch," Lin said as she saw the Avatar approach. "You're going to get crumbs everywhere." Korra huffed and settled herself into a dining room chair.

"So what's the plan chief?" Korra asked between mouthfuls of apple. "Are we going to wait here like sitting turtleducks or are we going to kick some Red Lotus ass?"

Lin rolled her eyes as she heated a new pot of water for tea. "I'm not sure what your definition of laying low is, but 'kicking Red Lotus ass' isn't one of them. You're staying here with me where I can keep eyes on you at all times."

Korra groaned. "Lin, I told you yesterday you don't have to worry about me. We've been through worse and turned out fine."

Lin sighed as she brought the Avatar a cup of tea and sat across from her. "Maybe so. Look, if you ever become a mother you'll understand. Speaking of mothers, yours called me after you went to sleep. She's worried about Zaheer and his crew but relieved that you're okay. She also said to tell you that she loves you very much, and that you need to be careful. I told her that with me around there wasn't any other option."

The young Avatar smiled before growing serious. "That sounds exactly like something my mother would say. Thanks for talking to my mom—everything was so crazy that I just completely forgot to message her on the way over. Which sounds terrible, because I don't want my mom to think that she's at the bottom of my priority list. She's not, not even close!"

The metalbender nodded as she poured herself a new cup of tea. "She doesn't think that kid. She knows you're busy, she just wants make sure that you're okay."

"Can I ask you something Chief?"

"Shoot."

"What do you and Chen normally do when you're together? I know you're each other's sparring partners, but is there anything else?"

Lin sat back in her chair and began listing things. "Let's see, we go to the library together to choose new books, I watch her practice her guzheng, she helps me out in the kitchen whenever I'm cooking, we play Pai Sho, I help her with her civics homework, she helps me with my paperwork on the weekends—"

"She what?" Korra asked quizzically.

"She helps me with my paperwork. Has since she was ten. According to her it's incredibly therapeutic—she even told me once that she would look forward to the paperwork if she ever joined the force, but for her sake I hope she's joking."

Korra laughed heartily. "She looks forward to paperwork? Spirits, she really is Tenzin's daughter!"

Lin couldn't help but crack a grin. "Don't I know it." She finished the rest of her tea before looking back at Korra. "Now that you're here and she's not, why don't you help me? It's not like we're going anywhere anyways, and those reports aren't going to finish themselves."

The Avatar shrugged her shoulders. "We might as well. Plus, it'll be nice to do something that's not staring outside your windows all day."

"That's the spirit. Wait here, I'll get the boxes." Five minutes later, Lin deposited two hefty boxes labeled _UNFINISHED REPORTS_ on the table. Korra grimaced. "They look worse than they actually are in your case. You just need to make sure that the photos in the file match the case. You'd be surprised how easily that gets mucked up."

The rest of the conversation was spent in easy conversation as the women caught up on paperwork. Korra could see why Chen would enjoy doing paperwork with her mother; Lin was more relaxed and open to company, and their conversations easily bounced around from Bolin's crush on Opal ("My poor niece," Lin mused) to best places to get seaweed noodles in Republic City to even probending matches. Much to Korra's delight Lin closely followed probending matches, and was about to tell the young Avatar her pick for the championship match when a photo from Korra's most recently completed file caught her eye. She read the file, then the files surrounding it, and soon looked up at Korra with a determined expression. "How would you like to take a trip to the Sandbender's market, kid?"

Half an hour later, a disguised Korra and Lin were perusing stands at the Sandbender's market. Located near the Silk Road bridge, the merchants sold anything from Sandbender delicacies to clothing to sand figurines.

"So why exactly are we here, Chief?" Korra mumbled under her disguise. Lin had dug up some old sandbender outfits from Suyin's time in a commune far out in the Si Wong Desert. Korra's fears about being noticed were soon assuaged when she realized that the clothing, when worn with goggles, would obscure all of their physical features.

"Quit calling me chief, kid," Lin replied. "If you have to call me something, call me mom. And no, you may not continue calling me mom after this."

"Not even Mama Lin?"

"Shush, let me listen to this conversation!" Though Korra could hardly hear anything, Lin appeared to be listening intently as she feigned interest in a swatch of sandbender fabric. After a few minutes, she bought the fabric and moved to another stand selling sandbender baked goods.

"Mama Lin, why are we here?"

It took all of Lin's effort not to roll her eyes. "Hush, I need to look for something!" Upon noticing the purveyor gazing at her with interest, she nodded in greeting and moved on to another stand before finally buying some sort of odd jerky. As the women turned to leave, Lin looped Korra's arm in hers and hurried her out of view until they were safely ensconced in Lin's apartment.

"What was all of that for?" Korra asked as she peeled off her disguise. "Did you have a hankering for jerky and fabric?"

"No, the reason we went down there is because Zaheer and his cronies were in the background of one of the photos taken for that robbery at the Sandbender's market. I was listening into the conversations between the vendors, and as it turns out they've been seen at the market daily stocking up on supplies. Apparently they're traveling to Ba Sing Se within the week."

Korra's eyes widened. "We have to warn the Earth Queen!"

"My thoughts exactly. I'll see if I can get my officers to relay the message, hopefully it will reach them in time."

* * *

Two weeks later, the two listened in horror as Lin's radio broadcasted Zaheer's voice. He was not only taking full responsibility for the assassination of the Earth Queen, but reveling in it. He proclaimed that he did it 'for the repressed of Ba Sing Se' and that soon 'a new world will begin like the opening of a lotus.' Lin slammed her fist so hard on the kitchen table that their dinner plates shifted. "Bastard probably intercepted the communication before it ever reached the Earth Queen. He's getting bolder, and that doesn't bode well for anyone."

Korra nervously gulped down the rest of her seaweed noodles. "What do we do? Should we warn the other world leaders? I don't want him anywhere near the Chiefs of the Water Tribe."

"I'll send a message through Police Headquarters warning them, but they're probably already aware thanks to that radio broadcast. In the meantime, pack up your bags kid. We're going on a field trip."

Korra slightly perked up. Save for that trip to the Sandbender's Market, she hadn't left Lin's apartment once. She did nothing all day but practice metalbending with Suyin's meteorite or fill out paperwork, which she didn't mind doing as she enjoyed her conversations with Lin but it was getting repetitive. She tried practicing metalbending once to play a flower-shaped instrument she found in Lin's coat closet, but after a single note Lin took it out of her hands ("You're not getting anywhere near my qinqin until you can control a metal cord, and you're not getting anywhere near a metal cord until you can manipulate the meteorite, so nice try."). "Where we going, Chief?"

"Gaoling. It's time we get my daughter."


	3. Chapter 3

I own no one but Chen, please enjoy!

* * *

"So this is Gaoling? Spirits, it's beautiful!"

Korra had groaned and griped as Lin roused her out of bed at 3 in the morning. "Mornings are evil and so are you," she had mumbled to an amused Chief as they boarded an unmarked airship. But now, seeing the sun rise over the peaceful town, she understood why Lin had woken her so early. The valley was striking, it's verdant foliage tinged rosy by the rays of the rising sun. The town itself was striking; still built in its traditional architecture, Gaoling had transformed itself into a center for arts and culture on par with Zaofu. It was a tourist destination for its fine dining and symphonies as much as it was for its metalbending academies and Earth Rumble matches.

"I may have been born and raised in Republic City, but there is a special place in my heart for Gaoling," Lin said dreamily. "I have so many happy memories here. I spent summers learning bending from the badger moles in the mountains, winters for the Lantern festival. Out of all of Gaoling's festivals, the Cherry Blossom Festival is my favorite—I come back every year. Chen was born on the first day of the festival actually…" She quickly shook herself out of her reverie and switched the airship's gears so that they began to descend. "Grab you gear kid, we're about to land."

The Avatar looked outside to find large estates situated amongst rolling hills of green and an ambulating river. One in particular called to her. It was clearly a grand estate; part of it was dedicated to large houses situated around a central courtyard, while the other (larger) part was dedicated to immaculately maintained gardens complete with a sizable guardhouse. Korra squinted closely at the sign engraved on the wooden gates. One set of wings, four legs—that was a flying boar.

She was entering the seat of the Beifong clan.

Korra excitedly grabbed her bags and followed Lin as she led her off the airship and through the main house. It was stunningly preserved, and she was afraid to move lest she inadvertently break something. As she followed Lin to her unknown destination, she took note of the original teak floors, the solid jade sculptures, and the music room with antique instruments prominently displayed on the walls. She walked through the house so thoroughly entranced that when Lin stopped she bumped directly into the woman. "This is where you'll be staying," Lin gestured as she spoke. "Normally I would have put you in one of the guest houses, but with the Red Lotus on the loose I'm not taking any chances."

She knew Lin was still speaking, but zoned out as she strolled around the room. It was large, with light tan walls and a traditional rice paper door to separate it from the hallway. With a start she realized that there were two beds instead of one, one of which seemed to already be taken. The metalbender walked over to Korra upon sensing her confusion.

"I figured I would put you in the same room as Chen since my room is next door. Don't worry, the walls are thick, so I won't be able to hear you two yammering and braiding each other's hair."

Korra perked up upon hearing Chen's name. "Is she here now? Can I meet her?"

Lin retracted the sole of her shoe and forcefully stomped on the floor, closing her eyes as she sensed the earth's vibrations. A smile slowly spread across her face as she straightened up. "She's in the gardens. Come with me, I'll give you a tour of the grounds and then we can meet her." Korra nodded and followed the Chief of Police, brimming with excitement and anticipation. As soon as she and Lin stepped outside, her mouth dropped in shock.

Seeing the gardens' beauty from the sky had been one thing, but experiencing it in person was something else entirely. It looked like something out of a dream; she wouldn't have been too surprised if this garden had been in the Spirit World. Korra gravitated towards the large pond filled with water lilies and pygmy dragon-koi. She was so caught up watching their scales shine in the sunlight that she didn't noticed that Lin had stopped by the topiaries and was watching her with mild amusement. Upon noticing her mentor waiting, she reddened and ran towards Lin, waving to the guards as she did so. She followed Lin down the white stone path and gaped as she passed the mini walled garden, its entrance framed by trimmed bamboo. "This place is so peaceful," she breathed. "I can feel so much energy here."

"Aang used to say the same thing, actually," Lin said. "He also loved the koi pond, just like you. Not as much as he loved this place specifically."

Korra followed Lin's gaze to an open-air pavilion. Framed by bonsai trees, it was the perfect place to meditate and reconnect with nature. In fact, there seemed to be someone there now doing just that…

Lin sent three quick taps into the ground. The person immediately noticed and turned around. Korra did a double take. The girl's resemblance to Lin had been uncanny in the photos, but in person…it was like seeing Lin herself as a teenager. She was a petite, slim thing, with long black hair and serene green eyes. Korra was expecting the girl to scowl when she broke out into a wide smile instead. "MOM!" She cried out, running and launching herself into Lin's arms. Lin almost stumbled back from the force but drew the girl quickly into her arms, rubbing her back and kissing her head. When the two pulled apart, both had tears in their eyes. "I missed you so much, mama. I can't believe you'd come for my concert, I thought you were going to wait until the end of the second camp stint!"

"And miss your solo with the adult orchestra? Absolutely not!" Lin scoffed with mock anger. She visibly softened and caressed the girl's cheek before pulling her close for another hug. "I missed you so, my little badgermole." After releasing her daughter, she turned to Korra. "Chen, I want you to meet someone who will be staying with us for a while. This is the Avatar, Korra. Korra, I want you to meet my daughter, Chen Beifong."

With a grin, Chen swiftly bowed to the Avatar. "It is an honor to meet you, Avatar Korra, I've heard so much about you!"

Korra returned her bow with a small smile. "It's good to meet you too Chen. Though I have to ask, how much have you heard about me, exactly?"

Chen giggled. "More good than bad, if that's what you're worried about. I have to wonder though, how deep in trouble are you if you've followed mom to her sacred hideout in Gaoling?"

Upon seeing Lin and Korra's sheepish faces she laughed even harder. "Doesn't take a Sato to realize something's up if the 'irresponsible, impossible, and hot-headed' Avatar is actually following my mom's advice for once."

Lin eyed her daughter. "Don't you have practice you need to be attending?"

"Perhaps." With a smile she kissed her mother on the cheek and ran off to practice. "I'll see you later, Mom, and it was a pleasure meeting you Avatar Korra!"

After watching the gates close, Korra grinned impishly at Lin. "'Irresponsible, impossible, and hot-headed?'"

Lin rolled her eyes and stalked off towards the main house, Korra laughing as she trailed behind her.

* * *

The rest of the day had been spent in relative peace. Lin had beat Korra handily at Pai Sho multiple times, and Korra had been free to openly visit the market with Lin thanks to an old pair of goggles Lin's grandfather had made. Originally meant for use in his coal refinery, the goggles were unique in that their coating changed how Korra's eyes were perceived; they appeared to be a fiery amber like that of the Fire Nation. Worn with an ancient dress robe of Izumi's Lin had found in her closet and a topknot, Korra truly appeared to be a nearsighted Fire Nation woman ready to enjoy the symphony in Gaoling. She looked at herself approvingly. "Hello Fire Nation Princess," she murmured in front of Lin's gilded full-length mirror.

Lin walked out of the bathroom, fixing her hair. "I know you love your preening, but some of us need that mirror too."

Korra was prepared with a sarcastic retort, but as soon as she turned around her mouth dropped open. _Is that Lin, Chief of Republic City Police Lin? The same Lin I've been living with for weeks already? I didn't think she owned any clothes outside of her uniform and pajamas! Spirits, she's stunning! Small wonder Tenzin fell for her…_

Lin wore a dark green evening gown with long, draped silver sleeves and a small black bodice embroidered with a stone pattern. With every movement the dress shimmered, revealing a delicate silver floral pattern that had been hand stitched onto the fabric. On top of the dress she wore a sheer matching outer coat and draped a silver scarf around the arms. She turned to grab a lipstick tube from her vanity and revealed crisscrossed silver pins holding her hair in place. Her makeup served to accentuate her beauty; with light eyeshadow and black eyeliner flicked upwards at the edges, she looked decades younger than her actual age. She smiled amusedly at Korra as the Avatar tried desperately to recover smoothly.

"It's a little old fashioned for my taste but I figure if you're going vintage then so should I," Lin said as she applied a sheer red to her lips. "Here, turn towards me, you could use some lip tint as well." Gently she dabbed her lip tint on Korra's lips before nodding in satisfaction and storing the tube in its proper place. "Good, now you look like a real Fire Nation woman, albeit a rather eccentric one. Here's the matching purse, we should get going unless we want to be late."

Twenty minutes later, Korra and Lin found themselves in box seats watching over the orchestra. Box seats hadn't been Lin's idea; she had originally purchased seats on the orchestra floor before being upgraded to box seats free of charge. "I never use my name, not if I can help it. Should have seen that switch coming, what with my grandfather building this theater and all," she grumbled to Korra as they climbed the stairs to their new destination. Chen was sitting in the center of the stage, her hands placed calmly in her lap. She serenely searched the crowd until she caught sight of her mother; gracefully she waved to Lin before returning to people-watching the crowd.

"I wish I was that comfortable in front of large crowds. Nothing rattles her," Korra observed. "Also what a great dress choice on Chen's part. Wearing one of Toph's dresses to perform in Gaoling? Brilliant!"

Lin stopped observing her daughter and turned to face the Avatar directly. "How did you know that?" She asked quizzically.

Korra thought for a minute before turning to face the orchestra, which was finishing tuning its instruments. "I don't know," she said confusedly. "I just had a feeling."

Intrigued, Lin returned to watching Chen. _Didn't you lose all of your connections to your past lives…?_ Lin didn't ponder the question more as the orchestra began its concert immediately after.

Korra was enthralled by the performance. The orchestra had decided to perform a selection of concertos dedicated to spring, and had one student from each instrument section perform a solo. Lin noted proudly that Chen, who was the youngest student chosen, was also chosen for the most important solo. Korra could see why; despite her young age it was clear that the young teen had great control over her instrument. Her fingers never once touched the strings as she used her metalbending to flawlessly play her solo. Thrilled, she looked over to find Lin beaming with pride, tears threatening to spill over she was so proud of her daughter. At the end of her solo, Lin leapt to her feet and clapped loudly for Chen, who bowed to acknowledge the crowd's standing ovation and then to her mother before leaving the stage. After the concert, Korra and Lin waited for Chen in the garden behind the theater, sitting and enjoying the calming sound of the bamboo fountain.

"Thank you for taking me to the concert," Korra said, looking earnestly at her mentor. "I'd never been to one before."

Lin's head snapped around in surprise. She was 18 and she had never been to any type of concert, much less a symphony? To be fair, she grew up in an isolated training compound for most of her life, but surely Tenzin would have seen to the girl's cultural education during her time in Republic City? He had loved taking her to the symphony and to dances when they were younger; perhaps with four energetic children things had changed…

"Not a single one? What do you do for music down there?"

"The Southern Water Tribe's traditional use of music is to accompany the traveling bards. They're usually older than time itself, and they sing the oral history and myths of our people. Sometimes it's them alone, sometimes it's them and one or two musicians accompanying them on the yueqin. It's why I tried to learn how to play the yueqin when I was younger; my past lives were in those stories, so I thought it would be a good way to get in touch with my spiritual self. Didn't really work, but I did learn a few of the songs."

Lin cracked a smile. "You keep practicing your metalbending, and maybe I'll let you near the one in the music room."

Korra brightened up. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do."

The Avatar smiled and was about to reply when Chen came racing across the garden with her instrument. Delicately she placed the case on an empty bench before jumping into Lin's arms. "Mom! I still can't believe you came! Did you like my solo?"

"Like it? I LOVED it! Badgermole, I'm so proud of you I could burst!"

Chen grinned and dug deeper into Lin's hug. Lin melted; she loved her daughter so much she didn't know how her heart hadn't run out of room. She had never planned on becoming a mother, much less a single parent. It had been incredibly difficult raising her daughter and performing her job at the same time, but moments like these made her cherish motherhood all the more.

Without breaking their hug, Lin and Chen turned and began walking home. Korra grinned and wordlessly slung Chen's instrument on her shoulder, content to watch the beautiful relationship between Lin and her daughter.


	4. Chapter 4

I only own Chen! Please enjoy!

Also, can we talk about the live-action reboot of AtLA? I am PSYCHED!

* * *

Korra, Lin, and Chen spent the next three weeks in peace. Korra was thriving under Lin and Chen's metalbending tutelage, and had progressed to using cables instead of meteorites much to Chen's delight and Lin's chagrin. "Those are not a plaything Korra!" The Chief said worriedly as Korra threw around the cables without finesse. "You could hurt someone!"

"Sorry Mama Beifong, I'm trying!" Chen bit her lip to keep from laughing; if Korra's been calling her mom Mama _anything_ , then her mother liked the Avatar a lot more than she had been letting on. When Korra wasn't practicing hitting targets using her cables, she was vainly attempting to beat Lin at Pai Sho (she had come close once, but she suspected Lin had thrown the game so it didn't really count) or listening to Lin and Chen play music together. After finding instruments in the chief's apartment she shouldn't have been surprised that Lin was a superb musician; still, she couldn't help but listen in wonder at the beauty of the accompaniments. Her favorite part of the day, however, was when she and Chen retired to their room for the night. There Korra would braid Chen's hair while the young teen talked about her favorite books or her friends from school. The nightly ritual filled Korra with contentment; she was an only child, so Chen was like the little sister she had never had.

"You seem especially lost in your thoughts tonight, badgermole," Korra said as she began brushing Chen's hair. "Is there anything on your mind?"

"Well…maybe. Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it. Although, if it's related to boy trouble or middle school I'm no help."

"No no, it's not that. Erm, how concerned should I be about the Red Lotus?"

Korra winced as she put down the hairbrush. "How much do you know?"

"Not much. I heard the radio announcement at my friend's house and then the next morning you and mom showed up. Clearly it's worrying her if she hasn't let either of us out of her sight. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, is this going to be Amon all over again?"

Korra froze halfway through parting Chen's hair. In the excitement of getting to know Chen, she had never even considered how the girl's personal history had intertwined with that of Republic City. Spirits, does that mean…

"I didn't see my mother without her bending, if that's what you're thinking about. After she heard about Councilman Tarrlok being a bloodbender she sent me to stay here with Uncle Saikhan's daughter so that we wouldn't be hurt. And to answer your next question, I was around when you turned into a giant spirit to fight Vaatu, but I didn't see anything as Mama made sure I was safely looked away in the apartment. Either way, I guess that's a good thing, because I don't know what I would have done if I had seen her hurt."

With a start, Korra realized that the girl's shoulders were shaking. Swiftly she pulled the girl into a tight embrace.

"I can't lose my mom, she's everything to me," Chen sniffled. "If I didn't have my mom, where would I go?"

Korra's heart hurt for Chen. In the short time that she had known the teen it was clear how much she adored her mother; the thought of anything happening to her must constantly worry her due to the nature of her mom's job. After a few moments, she pulled back to face Chen. "Hey hey hey, nothing is going to happen to your mom. She's tougher than the rocks she bends. Did you know that she didn't even hesitate to save her men from Amon even when she had broken ribs? She just shrugged it off like it was nothing!" Chen smiled and nodded through her tears. "Your mom is the second best earthbender ever to walk this planet, and I say second because from what I hear your grandmother is solidly in first place. Even if, spirits forbid, your mom gets injured, you have your Aunt Suyin in Zaofu. And I know for a fact that should absolutely adore you."

"And I have you?" Chen asked hopefully.

Korra smiled sweetly. "Yeah, you have me."

Chen wiped her tears away and hugged Korra before returning to her original position. "Thank you Korra," she said sincerely. "I feel a lot better now."

Korra smiled as she returned to braiding Chen's hair. "Anytime, little one."

A few moments of silence passed comfortably as Korra finished one braid and started the other. "Korra, what is my Aunt Suyin like? Mom's told me a few stories from their childhood, but that's about it. She doesn't like talking about her, and I don't want to pry."

Korra focused on Chen's braid as she answered. "Well, she's warm, a great hostess—a fantastic metalbender, of course, though in my biased opinion I think your mom is better—and she's kind, genuinely kind. She also believes in helping people become their best selves, which is something I think we should all do more often."

Chen had a dreamy look on her face as Korra finished the last braid. "She sounds amazing. I hope I get to meet her someday."

* * *

Little did Chen know that someday would be the next morning.

Korra and Chen were quietly engaged in conversation over their simple breakfast of eggs and fruit. Lin was engrossed in her morning paper when a guard, Hong, knocked on the doorframe.

"Lady Lin, there's someone here who insists on seeing you."

"Really?" Lin said, her eyes not lifting from the news section. "Who, exactly?"

"Me."

Lin looked over the edge of her paper to find her younger sister standing at the doorframe. She had swapped out her usual necklace for a breastplate and her delicate jewel diadem for that of banded metal. Lin discreetly checked her sister's vitals, and found that her heartbeat and respiration were strong, but normal. Whatever Suyin came here for, she wouldn't be addressing immediately. Smiling widely, Korra leapt from her chair and swiftly embraced Suyin. "Su, it's so good to see you!"

Suyin warmly returned the Avatar's hug. "Now hang on, let me see you." With a laugh, Korra turned around while Suyin did a motherly once-over. Korra looked good; she was happy, healthy, and unharmed. Despite being in her sister's care for over a month, she seemed to be thriving. Perhaps it really had been the right decision to let her stay with Lin. "I'm shocked, has my sister actually been taking good care of you? Like with regular meals and everything?"

"Surprisingly enough yes, and sometimes she even lets me touch her Pai Sho set too."

"Ha ha," Lin dryly responded. Suyin turned her attention to find her sister and…her sister?

Cautiously she approached the young girl her older sister was protectively hovering over. The girl looked like she couldn't be older than Jinora, if that, but she also knew that she herself had looked like she was 10 until she had hit her growth spurt at 14. Perhaps it was the same with her? Suyin couldn't believe it. It was as if her older sister had gone back in time.

Those cheekbones? That nose? Those lips? All she needs is that scowl.

She was half expecting the girl to give her a judgmental glare when Lin leaned down and silently whispered in the girl's ear. The girl nodded and with a smile approached. After walking a few paces, the girl stopped and bowed deeply. "It's an honor to meet you, ma'am," she said. "My name is Chen."

"Fully introduce yourself, my love," Lin gently admonished. "This isn't just anyone you're meeting. This is Suyin Beifong, the matriarch of the state of Zaofu—and my sister."

 _My love?_

Chen, slightly blushing, turned to fully face Suyin. "My name is Chen Beifong. I am the only daughter of Lin Beifong, eldest daughter of Toph Beifong. I'm a third-generation metalbender, third-generation friend of the Avatar, and your only niece. And I've wanted to meet you for so, so long."

Suyin gently reached out to caress her niece's face. The first thing she noticed was the girl's eyes. They were the same brilliant green that Lin possessed, but they held none of the anger that was omnipresent in the elder Beifong's eyes. They were calm, serene even. Those eyes spoke of a wisdom far beyond her age. She tenderly enveloped her niece in a hug and kissed her forehead. While she held the girl close, her tear-filled eyes met Lin's watchful ones. _We need to talk_ , she mouthed. _Now._

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Lin and Suyin found themselves alone in the sizable kitchen, drinking freshly brewed white tea in silence. Suyin was the first to speak.

"That is one hell of an introduction she had there, sis. Where on earth did she come up with that?"

Lin snorted as she poured herself a cup of tea. "Years ago, Tarrlok was bothering her about being in my office. After one too many probing questions, she fired back with her lineage and promptly shut him up. Man, his face was _priceless_."

"Well, she's beautiful, Lin. Truly she's your mirror image. I really thought I was going back in time when I saw her face."

Lin allowed herself a small smile as she placed her cup on its saucer. "Thank you. I genuinely can't believe it—she really does look like me, doesn't she?"

"Mmhmm. Did you teach her how to metalbend?"

"She's a master, though she likes fighting a lot less than we did. She uses her metalbending to play her guzheng, and she's really a stellar player. You should attend one of her concerts sometime, she would be thrilled if you came."

Suyin smiled into her tea. "I would love to."

Another moment passed in silence before Suyin broke it again. "Lin," she asked quietly. "How old is Chen?"

Lin froze. She knew exactly what her sister was asking, and wanted no part in the conversation that was to come. Still, Lin Beifong shied away from nothing. "She's 13," she replied flatly.

"Thirteen?" Suyin questioned. "That's almost as long as you and—" at that moment realization struck the younger Beifong sister. "Spirits almighty, with those eyes how the hell did I not see it?" she whispered, wide-eyed at her own realization. "She's Tenzin's!"

Lin nodded. Before she knew it, tears spilling over against her will. Suyin immediately stood up and folded her older sister into her arms. Lin hated being vulnerable, especially in front of her younger sister of all people. She had willingly chosen to raise Chen the way that she had to protect her from her world's expectations as much as possible, but it wasn't until she had started telling people about her daughter's existence that she realized how hard it had been, how much it had _hurt_ to see the love of her life and the father of her only child leave them without looking back once. She cried for all the times that she had learned about Chen's milestones from a stranger, for all the empty spaces in Chen's family tree projects, for all the late nights she had cradled her precious daughter and had felt so achingly _alone_.

Suyin held Lin in her arms until her sister's gut-wrenching cries turned into spastic sputters, tears falling down her own face. She couldn't imagine having raised any of her children without her husband's knowledge. Yet here Lin was, 13 years into raising a daughter right under the nose of the girl's unsuspecting father. One of the last things Suyin had said before they had left Zaofu was how glad she was that Tenzin had broken up with Lin for someone less embittered. Spirits, how could she have been so cruel? If her timeline was right, Tenzin had gotten engaged to Pema sometime either in Lin's late first or early second trimester. He was married almost exactly a year later, so the girl would have been around six months by the time of his wedding.

He hadn't started speaking to Lin again until he invited her to Air Temple Island years later to meet Jinora for the first time. She couldn't even imagine how it must have killed Lin to see him doting on his newborn daughter, knowing full well theirs was waiting at home. Spirits alive, she was going to _kill_ the man with her bare hands the next time she saw him.

"Lin, look at me," Suyin said once Lin had stopped crying completely. "You don't have to carry the load alone anymore. I'm here, my husband's here, the kids too-they're going to be _thrilled_ when they find out they have a cousin. We're here to help. _I'm_ here to help."

Lin stopped sniffling to look at her sister. She was so sincere; perhaps she had been mistaken in claiming that she hadn't changed since she was a teen. The police chief gave her sister a deep hug before releasing her, pulling herself together so quickly that by the time Chen walked in looking for snacks ten minutes later her daughter would never have believed that she had been hysterically crying. Upon seeing the two women talking, the young girl happily kissed both of the women's cheeks before grabbing a bag of fire flakes and challenging Korra to a meteorite fight. After hearing Korra's name, Lin could feel her sister's heartbeat quicken.

"Is that why you came?" Lin asked her younger sister point-blank. "Are you here about Korra?"

"Yes, I have something incredibly crucial to ask you. Has Korra been to the Spirit World at any point since we were last together?"

Lin blinked, bewildered. "No, I've actually been training her in metal- and earth bending. I figured the last thing she needs is to prance around with the spirits. Why do you ask?"

Suyin's mouth hardened. "Zaheer's been tracking people through finding them in the Spirit World. He found Zaofu by meeting and collaborating with my ex-adviser. They both made a mess out of the place trying to find her, but of course they didn't succeed. You need to make sure Korra doesn't do any sort of spiritual exercises, am I clear?"

Her older sister snorted. "Don't think it will be that hard to convince the girl to stop meditating, but I'll be sure to do so."

"Good, because I have reason to believe he's going after the Air Nation next."


	5. Chapter 5

I own no one but Chen, please read and review! Enjoy! :)

* * *

Lin sat up ramrod straight. She was used to her sister making outlandish statements—was it not Suyin who had called for he abolition of the Earth Kingdom monarchy?—but this, this was definitely out there even for her. If she was serious, she better have some damn good reasoning. "That's a bold claim to make. What makes you so sure?"

"Think about it, Lin. You're an anarchist whose chief goals are to cause chaos and take down the Avatar. You've already accomplished the first task by assassinating the Earth Queen and breaking down the walls in Ba Sing Se, but the Avatar, the person you want the most, is still missing. So what's going to dismantle the world's order enough to bring the Avatar out of hiding? Attacking the new Air Nomads, who are led by none other than Tenzin, son of the old Avatar and close confidant of the new one. And if he could track my ex-advisor through the Spirit World, I bet you anything he'll track Tenzin and Jinora that way too."

The elder Beifong leaned back and ran her fingers through her hair. Shit, her sister was right. The new Air Nation would be the perfect target for an unhinged anarchist like the one they're facing. Thank the Spirits that Opal had decided to wait on her airbending training. Unless…

"Su, where is Opal right now?"

Her sister's shoulders slumped forward, her eyes filling with tears. "She left for the Northern Air Temple after you returned to Republic City with Korra," she whispered. "I haven't been able to get in contact with the Temple in four days."

Lin moved to comfort her sister as she broke down in her arms, gently rubbing circles on her back. Tenzin was a staunch proponent of no technology in the temples, but the lack of communication in context of current events was very worrisome indeed.

"We're going to keep her safe," Lin promised. "I don't know how yet, but we will."

Suyin looked up indignantly. "You don't know how? We're going to go in ourselves, that's how!"

Lin held her head in her hands before straightening up. "Su, you know we can't just barge in there. If we do, and it's a false alarm, then _we_ will be the ones bringing trouble."

The younger Beifong sister scoffed. "You can't be serious!"

"Su, we have to be smart about this. Plus, it wouldn't be just us going in, we have to take the girls into account. There's no way I'm leaving Chen and Korra alone here, spirits forbid something happen. The minute someone smells something different the girls will have targets on their backs."

"We could always get Mako, Bolin, and Asami to run reconnaissance for us."

The two sisters swiveled around to find Korra leaning against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed.

"How long have you been standing there?" Lin asked, shocked at being caught off guard.

"I just walked in, so whatever dark secrets you've been spilling are safely between you two," Korra joked as she took a seat at the breakfast nook. "Look, I would love to barge in there and protect the Air Nomads, but if staying with Lin has taught me anything it's that sometimes watching and waiting is actually the better course of action to take."

Lin resisted the urge to raise her eyebrow. Where was the Korra that would barge in first and ask questions later? Could it be that the girl had finally started to mature under her care?

Su narrowed her eyes at the Avatar. "What are you proposing, exactly?"

Korra hesitated. "If we were to leave now and show up at the Northern Air Temple ready to fight, we'd cause all sorts of panic. But Mako, Bolin, and Asami? They've been dropping off new airbenders constantly. They would know better than even Tenzin if something's amiss. I'm not saying we do nothing, I'm saying that we—"

"Wait and listen for the right time to strike," Suyin finished begrudgingly. "Fine. I will radio Tenzin to tell him and Jinora to stop meditating and meditation classes. I trust you and my sister can radio the others?"

Lin nodded. Suyin stood up and stalked off to her airship. The police chief turned to Korra to find the teen staring at her hands. Lin reached out to hold the girl's hands. "I do think your plan is the best way to go. For what it's worth, I think Tenzin would agree too."

Korra looked up, her eyes clouded with worry. "Maybe so, but why does it feel like I'm betraying him and the Air Nation? I could be doing so much to help them, but I'm not."

The police chief put a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder. "Just because you _could_ be doing something doesn't mean that you _should._ Just wait—you'll know when the right moment is, trust me. And I trust you to make the best decision too."

Korra brightened and leaned over to hug her mentor. "Thank you Mama Lin," she whispered before setting off, flashing a warm smile at Lin as she left the room. Lin smiled after the girl, and with a satisfied sigh began to clean up the tea cups cluttering the table. Korra's antics may worry the life out of Lin, but her heart was in the right place. That alone would carry them through.

* * *

The women, thankfully, were able to get in contact with their recipients. After some tedious back-and-forth with a cranky Meelo, Suyin was able to warn Tenzin and Jinora in time to stop all meditations until further notice. Korra and Lin were able to get in touch with Mako, Bolin, and Asami, much to the teens' delight. They hadn't heard from Korra or Lin since they had parted ways in Zaofu, and were relieved to hear that both were unharmed. The group was somewhere deep in the east of the Earth Kingdom picking up a group of new benders; they would be headed to the Northern Air Temple in a week, and promised Chief Beifong they would stay at the temple from then on as guards. Korra and Lin thanked them profusely, grateful that the fledgling Air Nation would have an additional measure of protection. In the meantime, there was not much to do but wait.

It only took 11 days before their uneasy peace broke.

Chen, upon hearing about her aunt's application of metalbending towards artistic pursuits, had excitedly pulled out her guzheng and began to play new pieces that she had been learning. Suyin was blown away; Lin had told her that Chen was talented, but she had foolishly assumed that Lin was simply a proud mother embellishing her daughter's accomplishments. But watching Chen play was something else. She had a near-prodigious level of fine motor control over the metal strings of her instrument. It wouldn't be long before the teen was at Lin's level of mastery, if she hadn't achieved it already. Her niece was in the middle of showing her aunt a piece she could use for a dance performance when one of the guards came racing into the music room.

"Lady Suyin, Lady Chen, where is Lady Lin and Avatar Korra?"

"We're here," Lin said, striding quickly into the room after hearing the commotion. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I have Asami Sato here for you, ma'am. She says it's urgent."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Asami Sato is currently at the Northern Air Temple. Surely you mean someone else?"

At that moment Asami strode into the room. She was scratched up, and her normally neat hair was unruly, but other than that seemed no worse for wear. Korra gasped, ran towards her friend, and hugged her tightly. "Asami it's so good to see you! Are you okay? What happened to you? Do you need a healing session?"

Asami laughed and shyly tucked some stray hair behind her ear. "I'm okay Korra, really. I got caught up in something is all. Mako and Bolin stayed behind to protect the new airbenders."

Lin subtly tapped the floor. Asami's heart was racing, and her breathing was elevated. Based on the way she was staring at Korra it could be attraction, but then why would she alone come all the way down to Gaoling, especially considering she's scratched up? No, there's definitely something else that Asami wasn't telling them. "Asami, would you care to join us in the tea room? We were about to break for tea anyways."

Asami broke away from Korra's gaze and nodded. "Yes please Chief, I would love that."

* * *

Five minutes later, the group was settled at the table while Korra used her water bending to pour out equal measures of white tea. "It's so good to see you Asami. What on earth has happened since I last saw you?"

Asami hesitated. Suyin faced the young heiress. "You're free to speak openly. Nothing you say will leave this room." Subtly Asami cocked her head to Suyin's left, where Chen was sitting. _Right, she hasn't met_ _Chen yet,_ Suyin reminded herself. "Chen's a Beifong, Asami. You can trust her."

Asami's eyes widened. With all that metal she was wearing, how did she not see it? "Another Metal Clan Beifong? That's amazing! I saw you metalbending your guzheng, are you an accompanist for Suyin's dance troupe?"

Chen was about to answer when Lin laughed. "No no, I did not go through 14 hours of labor for Chen to be Suyin's."

The head of Sato industries spit her tea out while the others chuckled. Suyin turned to Lin, surprised. "You only went through 14 hours of labor for your firstborn? That's so fast!"

"To be in excruciating pain? Why, how long were you in labor with Junior?"

"All said and done, 25 I think?"

"And you had four more kids after that? Spirits alive woman, how on earth do you and Bataar still share the same bed?"

By this point all the teens were laughing heartily at the table, even Asami. She had to admit, this entire exchange was pretty hilarious. Once everyone settled down, Lin cleared her throat for Asami to speak. "I've been good. I was actually on my way to the south to follow up on a report when my ship's engine got taken down by some sort of explosion."

Lin's heart quickened. "What do you mean some sort of explosion?"

"I'm not sure honestly, I'd never seen anything like it. I was flying over some cliffs when I heard a loud bang and my airship started descending. I was able to land it safely thank the spirits, but when I went to check the engine it was like something had collided with it to cause some sort of explosion."

Lin cursed under her breath. "Did you see anyone on the cliffs? A woman perhaps?"

The Sato CEO thought for a minute. "Now that I think about it, I think there was a woman on the cliffs. I remember because she was really tall, and she was the only person I had seen at all when I was passing through that area. If there was anyone else with her, they were hidden from view."

The police chief pursed her lips, thinking over Asami's eyewitness account. "Where did you park your airship?"

"In the forest some leagues from here in case I was followed. That's why I'm a bit torn up-I took a few wrong turns in the forest and got caught in a thorn patch."

Lin stood up. "Good, leave it there. You won't need it for the time being."

Korra turned over to look at the chief. "Why?"

"Asami will be joining us on Suyin's airship. Tonight, we fly to the Northern Air Temple."


	6. Chapter 6

I own no one but Chen, enjoy!

Also, a note: daixiushans are the dresses that Toph and Poppy wear in Gaoling!

* * *

Asami froze. Chen clasped her hands together, Suyin grinned wickedly and began cracking her knuckles, and Korra knit her eyebrows together. "Chief," Asami said, "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive. Asami, that woman you saw was P'Li, a combustionbender and part of the Red Lotus cell threatening Korra's life. She attacked your ship because she knows that wherever you are Korra is likely to be, and only left you alone upon realizing that you were the only person aboard. If she's blatantly attacking airships by the cliffs, then they're trying to clear people out of the area, which further means that the Red Lotus is warming up for something drastic. We need to get to the Northern Air Temple and secure the new airbenders before the Red Lotus gets to them. They will go after them to get to Korra, it's just a matter of when."

Korra stood up. "Then we don't have any time to lose," she said decisively. "Suyin, how long will it take in your airship to get to the temple?"

Suyin thought for a minute. "Normally anywhere from two to three days, depending on how many stops you make. But Junior just improved the engine efficiency and upped the electrical capabilities, which means that we'll no longer have to make any stops. That should decrease the travel time to 24 hours maximum."

The Avatar nodded. "Su, let the guards know that we need the airship at peak working condition and that we need rations for the trip. Asami, double check the weapons closet and the controls and familiarize yourself with them. I'll see you all packed and ready to go in an hour. Everyone, the clock starts now."

Su, Korra, and Asami raced to get everything under control. Lin was halfway out the door to pack up her room when she noticed Chen staying at the tea table, a dejected look quickly taking residence on her face. Lin crossed the room to comfort her daughter. "What's wrong badgermole?"

Chen looked away, tears filling her eyes. "I'm really going to miss you Mama," she mumbled as she folded herself into her mother's arms. "Please be safe. _Please_ come home."

Lin tightly hugged her daughter and comfortingly rubbed her back. Spirits, it _killed_ her to see Chen so unhappy and know that she was the cause. The worst part was that her daughter's worry was well-founded. This wasn't just any case that she was working, and these weren't her typical criminals. She may be one of the best metal benders to ever walk the earth, but the Red Lotus was comprised of masters of the rarest subskills. Being injured was a given, but this time around there was a legitimate chance of her being killed in action. There was no way she could justify bringing Chen into any aspect of that situation.

Yet at the same time, had it not been Lin Beifong, daughter of Toph Beifong who had given birth to and raised Chen? Who had trained her in both earth- and metalbending, and had personally certified her mastery? Chen's bending abilities were steeped in generations of masters before her, and it showed. How else had the kid mastered earthbending at age 7 and metalbending at age 12? The girl made mincemeat out of Lin's cadets every training quarter, and had yet to be defeated in sparring in her school's dojo. Plus, Toph and Aang had been younger than Chen when they defeated the Fire Nation…

The police chief pulled away from her daughter and with a small smile cupped Chen's face in her hands. "My love, why are you sitting here crying? You don't want to make Korra late!"

Chen blinked a few times before realization hit. With a joyful shriek she knocked her mother over with a hug before scrambling to her room to pack. Laughing, Lin dusted herself off and made her way to her room to pack, hoping that the decision she made was the right one.

An hour later everyone was ready and on Suyin's airship. The guards had assembled rations and weaponry caches for the group in record time; even Asami had access to weapons specifically for her, such as electrified batons and extra electrified gloves. Suyin surveyed the additions approvingly. "Are we ready for take off?" She asked.

"Wait, wait for me!"

Chen came bounding onto the airship. She carried her bags and her ever-present guzheng, but gone were her everyday cheongsams or her flowing concert daxiushans embroidered with floral patterns. Instead she wore her own metalbending uniform complete with chi-blocking greaves. Her long, flowing hair was tied into a bun at the nape of her neck, and, Lin noted, was held back with a steel diadem that used to be Suyin's as a youth. A large part of Lin was worried for Chen, but that was wildly overruled by her pride in her daughter. Chen had never looked more like a Beifong than she did in that moment. Lin beamed and beckoned her daughter to her, after which she and Suyin crushed her in a hug. Korra and Asami joined immediately after, sending everyone crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs and hair. The elder Beifong poorly attempted a stern face but died of laughter instead, pulling a giggling Korra and a shocked Asami into a hug.

It was so lovely being surrounded by family.

* * *

Dinner onboard had been a simple affair. Though Suyin's airship came with a fully stocked and equipped kitchen, Lin had made the group an easy dinner of seaweed noodles and herbal tea. Chen had performed a new piece for them after they finished dining (which was received with overwhelming praise) and was now in her shared bunk with Korra and Asami, sleeping soundly. Suyin had offered to take over Lin's overnight shift keeping watch, but for Lin old habits died hard; being a night owl herself, she made a strong pot of black tea and was sharing it with Suyin at the captains' chairs.

"That diadem you gave Chen is beautiful," Lin said. "I'm sure you made her entire day."

Suyin beamed in response. "As soon as I saw your daughter I knew it belonged to her. Plus, it does an excellent job of highlighting those gorgeous cheekbones."

Lin chuckled into her tea. Suyin's smile faltered a little. "How do you feel traveling to the Northern Air Temple?"

"Honestly, it feels a bit like a homecoming. The Northern Air Temple was always my favorite, partially because it's still on Earth Kingdom territory. It may be isolated in a mountain range, but it still is connected to the earth. Our earth."

Suyin nodded, mulling on her next words. "Have you considered how you'll introduce the Air Temple to Chen? Or Chen to Tenzin?"

"No," she admitted, uncomfortable with how deep this conversation was getting. "I'm not sure what to do about Chen and Tenzin actually. How exactly do you introduce your daughter to her father that she has never once expressed interest in meeting, especially since her father is your ex-boyfriend that you've known since birth? What do you suggest, a candle-lit dinner?"

Her younger sister smirked and rubbed Lin's shoulder comfortingly. "I know you'll come up with something," Suyin said soothingly. "You've always done the right thing in the past. I know you'll do what's best now."

For the first time in her life, Suyin noticed Lin looked unsure. "Have I always done the right thing though? I raised Chen in secret, right in front of her father who deserved to know that she existed at the very least."

"Yes, and what would that have done exactly? The papers would have tracked her every move. Bookies would have taken wagers on whether or not she'd be the next Toph, Aang, or Katara. They would have reported her first day of school, her grades, anyone she's romantically interested in. And barring that, can you imagine the rigor of cultural education she would have had to undergo? Daily meditation classes with Tenzin at the minimum, so she could kiss goodbye to that beloved guzheng of hers. There would have been gurus to memorize, ancient ideals to uphold—it's a miracle Tenzin undertook it all and didn't crack once. Face it Lin, the only reason your daughter has grown up so well-adjusted is because you chose to raise her free of her father's influence. Was it an easy decision? Of course not. But was it the right decision? _Absolutely_. Though," Suyin said with a bittersweet smile, "I do wish you had told me. I would have kept your secret safe."

"I considered it actually," Lin said thoughtfully. "But in the end, I decided against it."

"Why didn't you?"

The elder Beifong leaned back in her chair. "I felt our enmity was too strong. Plus, Kya was your family's personal healer at the time. She can read auras, there's no way you could have kept anything like that from her."

Suyin nodded solemnly. "Hey Lin," she said hesitatingly, reaching out for Lin's scars. "In case we don't come back, I just wanted to say I'm sorry—for everything."

Lin paused, every fiber of her being telling her to move away from Suyin. Still, she stayed put, letting Suyin's fingertips caress the scars she had caused. "Why, are you planning on going anywhere?" Lin joked. Upon seeing her sister's remorseful face, she grew serious. _Shit, Suyin's not joking. She's actually going to apologize._

"I gave you such a hard time growing up, because I knew that Mom wouldn't try and stop me from doing what I wanted. What were you going to do exactly? You tried your best, you really did, but you're only six years older than me and I knew you couldn't do much at all. Things only got worse with the Terra Triad—I should have listened to you and not gotten involved, but I did anyways and look where that got us. I marred your face so badly Katara couldn't heal it, Mom retired out of shame for protecting me from getting arrested, and I got kicked out of my childhood home. Some good came out of it, I'll admit—without my forced exile I never would have met Bataar or had my family or even Zaofu—but I've always wondered what life would have been like if I had heeded your counsel. I'm sorry for being such a shitty sister Lin. I'm sorry for telling you that I was glad Tenzin broke up with you, I knew it would hurt, wanted it to hurt, but I didn't realize just how much it still pained you until I met Chen. I'm so, so sorry. If I could take everything back I would."

Lin sat up ramrod straight, slowly digesting the information. Their relationship may have been slowly thawing due to Chen, but Lin had still possessed a degree of anger and fury towards her younger sister. Suyin had lived her life free of consequences as a child as she knew Lin would shoulder any blame. Perhaps she still lived that way now, but her ability to recognize where she went wrong in her wilder years showed that maybe, just maybe she had realized how her actions had hurt those around her. That was enough, would have to be enough. She was tired of being bitter, and more than that she wanted to have Chen build a relationship with her aunt that was free of past hurt. Slowly Lin reached up to hold her scars, encasing her hand over Suyin's. Tearily Suyin embraced her older sister. "Oh Lin," she whispered.

Her elder sister held her for a few beats before releasing her. "If you think this means that Chen and I are moving to Zaofu overnight, then you've got another thing coming," Lin cracked, her voice thick.

"But Chen hasn't seen Zaofu yet, and the twins would love someone else to play power disk with. Plus, she could perform as an accompanist with my troupe, and you could help co-direct-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's just keep to another visit shall we? After this all wraps up, we'll go to Zaofu with you and spend a couple weeks there."

Suyin smiled. "Deal."

* * *

The women hadn't even realized that they had fallen asleep until they woke to find Asami showing Chen how to steer the ship. Lin stretched, painfully aware of how stiff her body was after sleeping in her metalbending uniform. Asami turned around at the sound of clinking metal and smiled brightly. "Good morning sleepyheads, looks like you all slept well!"

Suyin shook herself awake. "How are you so chipper at this hour?" she asked groggily, holding a hand up to shield her eyes from the bright morning light.

Chen giggled as she quickly embraced her tired aunt. In the time that she had spent with her aunt in Gaoling she had learned that the two Beifong sisters were quite the opposites. Lin preferred to burn the candle at both ends as years of night shifts and early mornings on the force had altered her sleeping habits. Suyin, on the other hand, absolutely needed a full night's rest and could not wake up at any time before 8 in the morning if she wanted to be a functional person. "Auntie Su, the better question is how are you so sleepy? It's half past 11! " Chen chirruped.

Lin took a look at the clock on the wall and groaned. How on earth had she fallen asleep during her watch, and for so long too? Thank the Spirits she hadn't done that at Headquarters; her men wouldn't have let her hear the end of it. "Asami, how long have you been steering the airship?"

"I got up at 6 this morning Chief to check on some things when I saw you two passed out in the captains' chairs. I didn't want to wake you all up so I took over steering. We never veered off course thankfully, and we're actually way ahead of schedule thanks to whatever modifications Junior made to the engine-seriously Su, they're absolutely incredible! That combined with the new fuel synthesis prototype and the electrical improvements-"

Impatient, Lin cut off the beginning of Asami's technobabble. Normally she enjoyed it as she learned what modifications her own machines needed, but not knowing where in the Earth Kingdom she was put her on edge. "As much as I want to discuss improvements to Suyin's airship, what I'm much more interested in how far we are from the airbenders."

"We're not far at all," Suyin breathed. Lin followed Suyin's focus to find themselves face-to-face with an foreboding fortress carved into the peak of a mountain. Air bison circled around the tallest parapets. The police chief steeled herself.

"Northern Air Temple here we come."


	7. Chapter 7

Asami quickly engaged the landing gear. Korra and Chen piled closely towards the window, eagerly observing the air temple. With the air bison circling the tallest parapets, it reminded Korra of how the temple looked in the years before the terrible genocide. A year ago she had groaned when Tenzin suggested their ill-fated tour of the air temples, but now she understood why Tenzin had been so excited. The temples were such a beautiful and peaceful monument to his culture, and for the first time in over a hundred years it was alive the way it was meant to be. For Chen, it was the farthest north she had ever been. Her mother hated to be far away from the precinct lest there be an emergency; as such most of their vacations had been in Gaoling, though there had been one very memorable vacation at Ember Island. For her, seeing the Northern Air Temple was something out of a dream. She was soon shaken from her reverie by an excited Korra. "Look, it's Mako and Bolin! They even brought Naga!"

Sure enough, a solemn Mako was standing quietly waiting for the airship to land while Bolin was jumping with excitement. Naga was sitting up straight, whining as the women walked down the stairs. Mako and Bolin surged forward and swallowed Korra and Asami in tight hugs, but were soon knocked over by an excited Naga. Even Lin found herself being furiously licked by the over friendly polar bear-dog, which caused the other Beifongs to stifle their laughter. She quickly smoothed down her now-damp hair, and gave Naga some dried seal jerky she kept on her to entertain the creature. Facing her detective and his brother, she smirked. "So, you two aren't dead?"

Mako laughed. "Now don't get all mushy on me Chief!"

Chen knit her eyebrows. "Chief? How come I haven't seen you on the sparring mats?"

The firebender laughed uneasily. "I'm a firebender, so I'm no match for Chief Beifong on the mats. Besides, even if I were a metalbender there's no way I would beat the Chief—from what I hear she's never lost a single spar. Wow, the new cadets get younger and younger every year, huh?" Chen scowled as Lin tutted.

"Mako, do you think I have time to be sparring with my men? My time on the mats are over; it's my daughter Chen who's unbeatable."

Mako's eyes widened and Bolin's mouth dropped. "Your daughter?!" Mako sputtered.

Chen arched an eyebrow. "My eyes and cheekbones didn't tip you off? For my mother's sake I hope you're not one of her detectives." His face reddened while his brother fangirled over Chen ("Mako, look! Chief Beifong has a daughter! Chief Beifong has a metalbending MASTER for a daughter! She has to be, she has her own metalbending uniform and everything!"), which caused everyone assembled to laugh even harder. Then a clear voice rang out.

"Mom!"

Suyin looked up to find her daughter running towards her. She caught Opal in her arms, trying her hardest not to weep as she held her daughter in her arms. Suyin loosened her grip and cupped her daughter's face as she examined her only daughter. Opal had never been away from home, and now for the first time in months she had been reunited with her mother. Her hair was longer, and but other than that she was her same beloved daughter. _She's safe. Thank the Spirits she's safe_.

Opal proceeded to hug Asami and Korra, and excitedly turned to her aunt, who was gently guiding a cadet through introductions to Mako and Bolin. She seemed absurdly young to have joined the force, but Kuvira herself was only 16 when she joined the guard corps of Zaofu so anything is possible, really. Noting her niece's hesitation, Lin gently beckoned Opal to her. "Opal, it's good to see you," she greeted as she quickly hugged the girl. "I want you to meet your cousin, Chen. She's 13 and has been wanting to meet you for some time now."

Lin's niece paused, eyes wide as Chen anxiously gave her a quick bow. _A cousin? From Aunt Lin? Spirits we finally get another girl in the family AFTER I leave!_ Pulling herself together quickly, she flashed a large smile and pulled her cousin into a hug. "Thank the Spirits we get another girl in the family, I thought Kuvira and I were going to be the only ones! Where did you get that uniform? Has my mom convinced you to join Zaofu's guard yet?"

Chen grinned and returned the hug. She hadn't even realized she had been stressed about meeting her cousin until she saw her in person; now after meeting her, she realized that her stress was unfounded and that Opal was truly as kind and sweet as Suyin had made her out to be. "I help train the new Metalbending Police cadets on the weekends, so Mom got me a uniform so they would take me more seriously—though knocking them around a bit tends to do the trick. And I haven't, though if Aunt Suyin has any say in the matter I'll be joining the guard by the time I'm 15!"

The girls would have bonded over Zaofu had a certain air bending master not joined the group. "Opal, you should be getting back to your exercises," he gently chastised. With a blush she bowed to her sifu and ran towards the bagua circles to practice her forms. Suyin positioned herself in front of Lin as her sister stiffened and instinctively drew Chen closer to her.

"Tenzin," Suyin said cooly. "A pleasure to see you as always. Shall we meet in the temple?" Without another word she and the others took off towards the pagoda, a confused Tenzin following.

* * *

In the tradition of the Air Nomads, the group sat cross-legged in a circle on the ground floor of the pagoda. Chen sat next to her mother and hid her excitement. Though she spent many of her waking hours in her mother's office, Chen had never been inside one of her meetings before. She stilled herself next to her mother, who seemed extremely stressed. Gently, she squeezed her mother's hand to reassure her. Whatever was troubling her mom, it would soon pass. She's been in worse binds and come out even better than before. No doubt this would be the same.

"First off, I would like to thank you all for coming here to protect the Air Nomads," Tenzin said. "This truly means so much to me. Secondly, I would like to thank Lin Beifong for keeping our Korra safe. I shudder to think about what would have happened had Korra not listened to you."

"We're not entirely safe," Lin said. "Part of the reason we all came to see you is to tell you that the Red Lotus has been sighted again. Asami's airship was attacked by that combustionbender as she was flying to the southeast. Our worry is that they're gearing up for something big. We need to be here to protect the Air Nation, before the Red Lotus attack."

"I've already called up the Metal Clan's most elite guard," Suyin chimed in. "They'll be here in three days' time to help secure the temple."

Tenzin furrowed his brow. "How can you be so sure that they'll attack here? I've stopped my meditations along with Jinora's; there's no way that he can track us."

"No, maybe not," Korra conceded. "But it's not exactly a secret that the new airbenders are training here. It's only a matter of time before they come here looking for me; they know that wherever you are, so am I. Furthermore, they know that the Air Nomads aren't skilled. You and Kya are masters, and Jinora might as well be, but even then you all are too vulnerable. You're a prime target for being attacked, and I'm not going to wait until it happens to help."

The air bending master nodded, percolating over this new information. "You have matured, Avatar Korra," he noted with some pleasure. "Then we should set to work securing the new Air Nomads and begin preparing to move to another location."

Suyin raised an eyebrow. "I know you airbenders prefer to cut and run, but you need to consider the ramifications of such a move. So you move to another temple, and then what? The Red Lotus will tear apart the Earth Kingdom in the process of looking for you. No, we need to stay put and prepare for what's to come."

The Airbender acquiesced. "Fine. We will stay here."

Lin stood up. "So it's settled then. We're preparing the new airbenders for the arrival of the Red Lotus. Suyin, Korra and her friends, and I will take care of security. You just need to make sure your family is safe. I can have Chen here help with that." Chen looked over to her mother for encouragement and then bowed deeply to Tenzin. "It would be my honor to help your family, sir."

Tenzin bowed in return and examined this exceedingly young woman. He had seen her around the detectives in Lin's office, but he had always assumed that she was one of their daughters and not a cadet in her own right. If Lin trusted her then so did he. "It will be a pleasure working with you, Chen." The young girl grinned. "Alright everyone, meeting adjourned. I'll see you all for dinner!"

After the group dispersed, Tenzin passed by Lin. "Lin, a word alone please?"

* * *

Tenzin and Lin found themselves walking down a shaded portico that overlooked the training grounds. Lin sighed deeply; the last time she had been here walking with Tenzin they had been a couple. By Lin's own reckoning she had figured it wouldn't be long before her boyfriend proposed. But now, 30 years later, they found themselves coworkers and nothing more.

With nothing to share but a daughter.

Quietly, the two walked side-by-side as they meditated on the paths they had taken through life. Tenzin quietly cleared his throat, shaking Lin from her thoughts.

"Lin, I just wanted to say thank you for coming to help protect the new Air Nomads. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you would do this. How on earth did you get Suyin to help too? I thought you two weren't speaking to each other."

Lin chuckled as the pair moved in sync underneath the ancient wooden beams. "Suyin and I smoothed things over when we found out Opal was the new airbender in Zaofu. You also don't have to thank me Tenzin. I would do anything for an old friend."

"Well, I'm thankful all the same." The two stopped at the rounded end of the portico, which looked out not only to the bagua circles where the new airbenders were perfecting their forms but also to the mountain range beyond. "I was just thinking, the last time you were here we had just opened up the Northern Air Temple to Air Acolytes. And now look. For the first time in over a hundred years it's populated by airbenders. And we—well,"

"We're still friends," Lin finished, leaning against a pillar as she watched the new airbenders below. "We always will be—red string of destiny, remember?" Upon noting Tenzin's quizzical look, she laughed heartily. "Seriously, out of all the cultural histories you memorized, the red string of destiny is the one you forget? Tenzin, the red string of destiny is an invisible thread tied around the little fingers of those destined to meet. It can get stretched or tangled, but it can never break. We're bound for life."

Tenzin leaned next to her. "Even though we're no longer lovers?"

"Even then. But Tenzin, surely you realized early on that we could never be together? Apart from the fact that our elements are opposites, of course. You made my life so vibrant, made me want to be the best person that I could possibly be. But we want different things out of life—staying together would have prevented us from achieving them."

He was quiet, letting silence settle over the two like a thick blanket. "Did you ever imagine what it would have been like if we had stayed together? If it had been you that I had married, and not Pema?"

"I used to," Lin admitted softly. "But we've worked better these past couple years as friends than we ever did as lovers. It's better this way. Besides, can you imagine a life without Pema, or your children?"

Tenzin heaved a deep sigh. He loved Pema and his children more than anything, but he would be lying if he hadn't imagined how his life would have been with Lin. If it had been her as his wife, or the mother of his children. "That red string of destiny is something else, isn't it?"

"Tell me about it," Lin said with a slight hint of bitterness. Hesitating, she turned towards Tenzin. "But the red string of destiny isn't the only thing binding us for life."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You mean Republic City's fate, our parents' friendship, and our shared childhood aren't enough to bind us together?"

With a smirk, Lin rolled her eyes. She had forgotten how sarcastic he could be. "Other than that, Twinkletoes Jr." She hesitated, then reached for her pocket for a photo and offered it to Tenzin. It was an old one, and beginning to wear from its time spent in Lin's pocket. It was a copy of the photo Korra had discovered all that time ago: her and Chen at the photo studio commemorating her daughter's seventh birthday. Tenzin took the photo gently and gazed at it intently. "This is a great photo of you and your mom," he said gently.

"That's what Korra said too, except that's not me and my mom," Lin said softly, her voice breaking. "That's me and my daughter. She's yours, Tenzin. Thirteen years ago I had your child."


	8. Chapter 8

I own no one but Chen! Also shoutout to user ( ) for reading the rough draft of this chapter and suggesting some of the dialogue! Your input has been immeasurably helpful! :)

* * *

Chen was thrilled that her mother chose her for a job. Her! She had always wanted to work under her mother, and now she finally had the chance. "Korra, Asami, I can't believe it! Mom's finally letting me work a case, and for someone like Master Tenzin too!"

"I'm not surprised one bit," Asami said, pulling the girl into a side hug. "Besides, this is a good first job. Bumi and Kya are masters at what they do, so you'll be the metalbender rounding out the group. It'll be low-key!"

"Low-key?" Mako said disbelievingly. "You've met Ikki and Meelo, right?"

At that moment the three airbending children came careening around the corner on air scooters. "KORRA!" They yelled as they launched themselves at the Avatar. "We missed you!"

"I've missed you all too," Korra said fondly as she hugged the three children. "Have you all been good for your mom and dad?"

Ikki began chattering about the ins-and-outs of life at the temple to Korra while Asami, Bolin, and Mako added their own input for good measure. A curious Meelo turned to Chen. "Who are you and why are you here?" He asked unintentionally harshly.

"Meelo, you don't just ask people that!" Jinora said, aghast. "Forgive my little brother. My name's Jinora, it's nice to meet you."

"My name is Chen, the pleasure is mine," Beifong's daughter said, inclining her head in respect to the eldest airbender child. "And to answer your little brother's question, I'm going to be helping your family out while we're here at the temple."

Meelo crossed his arms petulantly. "We don't need your help!"

Jinora was about to protest when Chen moved Meelo's marbles out of his pocket with a flick of her fingers. A delighted smile spread across the boy's face as Chen sent the marbles dancing around his head. After she put the marbles in his pocket Meelo looked up at her. "Alright you can stay, but I'm watching you!"

"Who are you watching, Meelo?" Everyone jumped out of their skin at the sound of Kya's voice. Sure enough, the waterbender was standing in the doorway. "Easy, all. I'm just here to tell the kids that their mother wants them in the kitchen to start helping with dinner." The three children darted wordlessly to the kitchen, leaving the teens alone with Kya. Chen shifted in place uneasily; she was supposed to have gone with the children, wasn't she? _Crap, five minutes on the job and you're already failing to protect the kids! Come on Chen, you know better than this!_ With a quick bow Chen excused herself from the group, dashing after the children with her metal cables at the ready. Kya cooly watched the young teen before facing the group.

"Damn if I don't recognize a Beifong when I see one."

"Whaaat?" Bolin responded, his voice rising octaves. "Naaaaah, she's a—she's—where did you come up with that idea? Her? Ha! As if! Isn't the Beifong name only reserved for the most badass metalbenders on earth?"

Kya rolled her eyes. "Calm down Bolin, I know she's Lin's daughter."

Bolin's eyes widened. "What?! How did you know?"

"Because you just told me," she replied. Korra groaned as Asami glared at Bolin and Mako smacked his forehead in frustration. "Though seriously, I grew up with Lin. We practically shared a bedroom on Air Temple Island she stayed over so often. You think I wouldn't notice a younger version of her with Tenzin's politeness walking around?"

Korra blinked a few times, stunned. She had expected Kya to throw a fit, but here she was, always going with the flow. However, like the ocean there was far more to her temperament than met the eye; Korra would definitely need to keep a close watch on her interactions with Lin tonight. "Have you known this entire time?"

"I've had my inklings, but you all just confirmed it. Wow am I going to KILL that woman with my BARE HANDS—not literally Korra, you can release my legs from the floor."

"Sorry, it's just I'd really rather you keep my guardian alive," she replied, releasing Kya from the stone mound her lower body was encased in. "Anyways, what do you mean you've had your inklings?"

Kya looked around and quickly pulled the teens into an alcove as unwitting acolytes walked past. "Before I used to be Korra's teacher, I traveled around the Nations as a master healer. Whenever I'd come to Republic City I'd stay with Lin because hey, we had to keep our childhood tradition of sleepovers alive somehow right? Anyways, I was rolling through Republic City about 14 years ago when I went to visit Lin. When I arrived, she was halfway through packing up her entire apartment. Said she needed a 'fresh start,' that she needed to 'reevaluate her priorities.' I understood why—they had broken up recently, and Tenzin is her first love, those are always the most intense—but at the same time she's always wanted to protect the city regardless of the personal cost. I stayed with her for a few days and then dropped her off in Gaoling on my way back to being Suyin's personal healer. I always meant to drop by but never did. The next time I saw her, I was back in Republic City for Tenzin's wedding—and she was back with Chen."

Mako's eyes widened. "So you've known all along then? Chief Beifong never told you or anything?"

"I didn't know then. She was walking with her lieutenant Saikhan and his wife who was pushing a baby carriage, so I just assumed she was carrying the baby; I only caught a quick glimpse so I didn't question anything. But whenever I came back into town we always met for drinks or at a teahouse, when in the past all we ever did was order Narook's and eat it at her apartment in our pajamas. When I heard murmurs about a Beifong who was a guzheng prodigy, I knew it had to be Lin's daughter as the girl they described was a metalbender and too young to be Opal. Imaging her, however, is one thing, but seeing her is quite another."

Asami faced the waterbender. "I know this won't make you feel better, but no one outside my household save for my grandparents knew I existed until I was five. My parents' worst fear was that I would be kidnapped and killed by triads—how ironic that it was my mother who was killed by the Agni Kais instead. I can't even imagine how protective Lin is over Chen. Think about it, Kya. Tenzin doesn't let his kids out of his sight, and they were still captured by the Equalists. Chen is the only daughter of Republic City's Chief of Police, her father is the last airbending master, and three of her grandparents are Hundred Year War heroes. She might as well have a target on her back. Only Lin could protect her."

Kya nodded silently, squeezing Asami's hand for comfort. Asami was right, of course; it was truly miraculous that no harm had ever come to Chen. Still, it pained the group that her reasoning was steeped in painful experiences rather than theory.

"Hi guys!"

Everyone jumped at the sound of Opal's voice.

"So there you guys are, I've been looking everywhere for you! I hate to interrupt whatever group huddle is going on, but dinner is about to be served and I can't find Tenzin or Aunt Lin anywhere. Do you all know where they are?"

"She and Tenzin were talking by the pagoda after our meeting earlier today," Korra replied. "The team and I can go get them!"

"No, allow me," said Kya, filling up her water skins. "You don't want to be late for dinner with Bumi around." The kids nodded uneasily and followed Opal as they watched Kya stalk towards Lin and Tenzin.

"So how dead is Chief Beifong exactly?" Bolin whispered.

"Very dead," Korra whispered back. "Very, _very_ dead."

* * *

For the first time in his life, Tenzin couldn't get any air.

He had always felt the currents surrounding him, was comforted by the air within him. But now, now the currents stilled. He couldn't even breathe.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, in disbelief.

"Remember when we broke up 14 years ago? I wanted to dedicate myself to the force, you to rebuilding the Air Nation? We thought that it would be for the best, especially since I probably wouldn't be able to have kids if by the age of 37 I was still childless. Not to mention that quite frankly I was ambivalent about the whole motherhood thing. Three weeks after that I passed out while I was duty, so I went to the healer and she told me I was pregnant. I didn't believe her until one day I woke up and felt not one but two heartbeats."

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Tenzin said, his voice quivering.

"I was going to," Lin said matter-of-factly. "That day when I invited you to the teahouse. I was going to tell you, even show you the healer's note I had on hand. But then you brought Pema, and you had just gotten engaged—I couldn't bring myself to do it."

Tenzin glared at her. "Couldn't bring yourself to do it? You've taken down entire triads without flinching but suddenly telling your ex about his unborn child is out of the question!"

"I'm not a homewrecker Tenzin!" Lin said, gritting her teeth. "I saw the way you looked at Pema as she spoke, how your hand unconsciously snaked into hers. I knew the minute I told you you would leave her, and what good would that do exactly? I was 37 Tenzin, how much longer could I have children? You loved her, would do anything for her—and she in turn would do anything for you, including bearing your airbending children. I wasn't going to deprive you of that future, even if it killed me to do so. So I took off to Gaoling for the remainder of my pregnancy, and after a brutal 14-hour-labor our daughter was born."

The air bending master put his head in his hands. "How could you do this Lin?" His voice shaking. "You knew how badly I wanted children, and your first thought is to hide her?"

"Do you know what happened the first time I felt her kick, Tenzin? The stones underneath my feet buckled. Four months before she was born and she was already earthbending." Lin looked pointedly at Tenzin. "She wasn't going to be that airbender you so desperately wanted, and I couldn't guarantee that I could give you any. I wasn't going to put us into that situation with the White Lotus breathing down your neck. So I stood by while you courted and married Pema, and now 14 years later you have four great airbending kids. I'd say it worked out well for you, no?"

Tenzin shook his head. Lin had been the first woman he ever loved, the one he had imagined would bear his children. He had always imagined a tiny metalbender just like her running around; this entire time it had been true? The two sat in silence, Tenzin trying desperately to steady his breathing. Lin sighed, the gravity of what she just did fully dawning on her. She turned over to speak to Tenzin. "I'm sorry for what I did, okay?" She said, an equal amount of pain in her eyes. "I did what I thought would be best, to protect her from all this confusion and pain, and to protect you from losing your nation—"

"Stop," he gasped, tears spilling over. "I don't want to hear anymore—I can't hear anymore—It's too much—this is over." He shuffled away and almost knocked over Kya in the doorway.

"Go, little brother. I'll handle this."

Lin felt as she had been kicked in the chest. She didn't expect a warm welcome, but she certainly wasn't expecting an outright rejection either. Underneath her breath she cursed her stupidity. He didn't need to know about Chen; once this Red Lotus nonsense was taken care of, everyone would resume their regular lives in their separate spheres. How stupid was she to think that he should know, to think that he would care? Heartbroken, she turned to leave when she found herself launched into the air and frozen against a column.

"Ah Lin, long time no see," Kya said dangerously calmly. "You been hiding any nieces lately?" She scrutinized the metalbender, who looked equal parts defiant and defeated. "What in the everlasting fuck were you thinking, keeping her from my brother? From ME?"

"Do you think I hid her expressly to hurt you two? Keeping her hidden is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I did it for her. Just imagine for one minute the type of pressure Chen would be under as the granddaughter of Toph, Katara, and Aang. I don't want that burden on her shoulders. I want her to have the freedom to walk a path of her own volition, and no one else's."

Kya glared at Lin, ice daggers at the ready. "Do you really think I'm going to believe some Air Nomad mumbo-jumbo as your reasoning? Come the fuck on, Lin. I'm not stupid, and neither are you."

"She's not lying, ma'am."

Kya wheeled around to find Chen standing at attention, her feet bare. Without a word she bent her metal cables and cut through the ice that was holding her mother in in place. Once freed, Lin ran to embrace her daughter.

"How much did you hear?" Lin asked worriedly as she tucked a stray strand of her behind her daughter's ear.

"Only the part about the 'Air Nomad mumbo-jumbo.'" Sensing Kya's discomfort through seismic sensing, the girl turned to Kya. "If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I will resign my post as guardian of your family. Make no mistake though: I will never leave my mother's side, so you better get used to me."

The waterbender turned to her niece, whose gaze was shooting daggers into her soul. She relaxed, bending the water in her ice daggers back into her skeins. "Do you have any idea who you are?"

"I'm Chen Beifong of Gaoling and Republic City, daughter of Chief Lin Beifong of Republic City and granddaughter of Lady Toph Beifong of Gaoling and Republic City. And I'm one second away from testing just how steep this drop is."

"Easy kid, easy," Kya said, beckoning the girl to her. "Spirits, you are just like your mother. It's okay, you can come closer, I won't freeze you. It's your mother I'm furious with, not you."

Looking to her mother for approval, Chen slowly approached the waterbender and hesitantly accepted her hug. The waterbender gazed upon her niece. With her jet-black hair, brilliant green eyes, and earthbending prowess it was evident that she was Lin's copy in every way. She was beautiful, she was her niece, and she'd be damned if she let the fact that Lin hid her hinder their relationship in any way. "Sweetheart, do you know who I am?"

Chen blinked a few times confusedly. "Yes, of course. You're Master Kya, only daughter of Avatar Aang and Master Katara. You're the best healer and waterbender there is—well, second best, based on the history books your mother is solidly in first place."

Kya laughed goodnaturedly. "Yeah, you got that right. No I mean, do you know who am in relation to you?"

"No, should I?"

Kya cast a sideways look to Lin, who was watching both women closely. "Your mom and I grew up together—we've been best friends since we were children. Nowadays, I'm all that and your aunt too."

Chen fell silent as she analyzed this new development. How could she have been so blind? Her mother had dated Tenzin for nearly two decades. According to her own calculations, she would have been born about nine months after their breakup so he couldn't possibly have known about her.

That being said, how on earth had he not recognized her as her mother's daughter? She was her mother's mirror image, more so now that she was wearing her metalbending uniform. She spent most of her time in Police Headquarters and, more often than not, was in her mother's office whenever Tenzin dropped by on official business. Did he really think that she was just a cadet and nothing more?

Thank the Spirits Republic City's Council had been disbanded. If they had all been as unobservant as Tenzin, it had only been her mother's tireless work that had saved the city from imploding.

Mistaking her daughter's internal analysis for distress, Lin grasped her daughter's hand. "Badgermole, I know that you have never asked about your father in the past, but with how tumultuous the world is becoming you need to know," she said, her voice thick. "My love, your father is Master Tenzin of the Air Nomads. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I—"

"Mom, I don't want to hear it and you don't have to justify yourself to me. I know who I am. I'm proud of who I am, and I know it's because of you and the decisions you've made for me. I don't need my father if he doesn't want me in his life, and you don't need him either."

Lin let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Maybe it would be better if, once they returned to Republic City, they went right back to the way things were before this entire mess happened. She gave her daughter a weak smile and nodded.

"Well, whenever you're ready dinner's been served," Chen stated crisply. "It's buffet style tonight so we should probably get going before Bumi takes all the barbecue buns." The girl turned on her heel and stalked off.

The women took one look at each other and ran after the girl, remorseful for their actions.


	9. Chapter 9

As always, I own no one but Chen! Please enjoy! Also credit t . N T L for being my beta reader! You're the best!

* * *

Chen ran blindly towards the dining room. _I don't care that Tenzin's my dad, he's hurt my mom! How could he?_ She paused to orient herself, and would have continued running had a hand on her shoulder not stopped her. In a flash she engaged the daggers in her chi-blocking armguards and spun around to find her mother and aunt breathless from running.

"Sorry kid, I didn't mean to startle you," Kya said apologetically, her hands up. "But we can't just run headlong into the dining room. If we had accidentally knocked over the grilled and barbecued meats table I would have cried. I've spent enough of the last few weeks eating steamed tofu."

Daggers still engaged, she looked to her mother who was tapping Morse code into the floor. _She didn't mean to scare you kid. Stand down._ Staring down Kya, she disengaged. "Fine."

"Good. Now's let's walk in together and try to attract as little attention as possible, yeah?" The girl nodded, and sullenly took Kya's arm as the group walked into the dining room.

Everyone was already seated and eating; Lin moved towards a table when she noticed Tenzin staring at her, pale and miserable and locked eyes with him until he looked away. Scanning the room, she found that Suyin had saved the group a space at her table with the teens. Quickly she and Chen moved to take their places while Kya sat with her brothers.

"So Chief, did anything come from your talk with Tenzin?" Mako asked, breaking the ice.

"Far from it," she snapped as she grabbed her plate and moved towards the fried rice station. Mako shrugged and returned to eating his roasted duck dumplings while Suyin, Asami, and Korra looked at each other and sadly shook their heads. The minute they had seen Tenzin stumble into the dining room they knew that Lin had told him the truth about Chen, and that it hadn't gone well. As such the girls had saved the freshest barbecue buns for the teen, while Suyin had already spiked Lin's tea with diluted cactus juice to help make the night more bearable. Chen politely nodded in thanks to Korra and Asami while Lin drained her entire tea in one draught. " _Please_ tell me you have more cactus juice where that came from."

Suyin's eyes glinted mischievously as she smirked and pulled out a large flask from her pocket just far enough for only Lin to see. In the middle of a smuggling ring sting operation, her mother had dropped her off at Air Temple Island when she was 14 for Katara and Aang to watch her; while there, she broke into Sokka's secret cache of pure cactus juice and spent the rest of the day sandbending at imaginary foes and talking to plants, which left Aang and Katara horrified and Sokka hysterically laughing. Though the hangover still ranked among the worst she ever experienced, she found that it made spending time at the notoriously straightlaced place much more endurable. Ever since she had resolved never to attend an Air Acolyte function without a flask of the diluted stuff on hand. "This isn't even my only one."

Chen was sullenly picking at her panfried noodles when she felt a small set of hands climbing up her body. She turned to find Meelo perched on her arm, beaming. "Will you play with me?"

"No, not right now Meelo," she said, politely shaking the boy off her arm. She returned to picking at her food and was just about to eat a bite when she noticed the little boy was still staring at her expectantly. "Maybe Jinora and Ikki will play with you? I think they're already done eating," she said, trying not to convey her frustration.

"They are, but I don't wanna play with them. I wanna play with you!"

The girl put down her chopsticks and sighed, running her fingers through her hair and undoing her bun. _It's not his fault I'm in such a bad mood. If only his father hadn't been such an idiot—wait,_ _ **our father.**_ _Spirits almighty._ "Alright, come here," she motioned to the boy. Meelo quickly airbent himself into her lap, excitedly smiling.

"Can you do the marble thing again? Please please please oh _please?!_ "

Lin looked over quizzically. "The marble thing?"

Chen chuckled and with a flick of her fingers took Meelo's marbles from his pocket. The boy clapped his hands gleefully as Chen made the marbles dance around his head, through his fingers, circle his arms, and even had each marble individually spin around the rim of Lin's bowl. With a flourish she sent all of them high in the air and then back into the little boy's robes, much to Meelo's delight. During the show, however, the group hadn't realized that one more had joined their table.

"Well that's a very nice little exhibition there, missy," Bumi said, languidly eating his kebab. Lin groaned. The last thing that needed to be added to the mix was Tenzin's brother and his big mouth. He finished chewing and eyed Chen, eyes twinkling with realization. "Well well well," he said, pointing his half-eaten kebab at the teen, "AREN'T YOU A FINE MIX O'LITTLE LINNY AND BALDY!"

All movement in the dining room ground to a halt. Meelo wordlessly airbent himself out of Chen's lap and onto Mako's tense shoulders, hugging his head in his arms. The Air Acolytes took one look at the situation and quietly left the room. In a flurry of air, rock and metal Bumi found himself thrown onto his back and pelted with chunks from the stone floors. Once the dust clouds cleared, he found Lin, Chen, and Tenzin all standing over him. The three were seething with rage, their teeth bared, Chen and Lin's hair mussed in the same places.

"If you all wanted to prove me wrong you're not doing a very good job of it," Bumi commented. "You all make the same face when you're furious."

Lin and Chen looked each other and eased out of their fighting positions, with Lin sending another rock near his head for good measure while ushering a furious Chen out of the room. Tenzin remained standing over his brother, fuming.

"Tenzin?"

The Airbender wheeled around to find Pema standing, hands on her hips. "We need to talk. _Now_."

Wordlessly the couple left for the balcony, leaving the dining room stunned at the new revelation.

* * *

Tenzin leaned over the railing and heaved a large gulp of air. His father had always espoused the benefits of clear air for thinking, but Tenzin wasn't sure that was going to cut it this time. Startled by the sound of liquid being poured, he looked up to find Pema pouring the two of them large cups of gingko tea.

"So, is there anything you'd like to tell me?" She said, serenely sipping her drink.

Tenzin took a large gulp from his cup and set it down. "Apparently I have a daughter with Lin. She's 13 years old and a metalbender."

"I can see that. How long have you known?"

"Only a few hours," he said, staring at his drink.

" _Riiiiiiight,"_ She said, interlocking her fingers. "So you had no idea whatsoever that you and Lin and a child? None at all?"

"Absolutely not!" Tenzin exclaimed, vigorously shaking his head. "I didn't have a single clue!"

"Of course not," she said, delicately putting her cup down on a coaster. "So all those times you were at her office for 'official business,' or she went to visit you at yours, you weren't going to see your child or do Spirits knows what else? No?"

"No!" Tenzin said, shocked. "Pema you have to believe me, I didn't know!"

"Spirits, where's a seismic sensor when you need one," she muttered into her drink.

"Right here, actually."

The couple swiveled around to find Suyin leaning in the doorframe, barefoot and slightly tipsy from drinking diluted cactus juice. Pema rolled her eyes. _Spirits, this is the last thing I need._ The younger Beifong grabbed a bottle of plum wine from inside, sauntered over to the couple, and poured herself a glass.

"I assure you, the alcohol doesn't muddle my senses," Suyin said, sipping her drink. "So go on, ask away. I can tell you if he's lying or not. Though honestly, you don't need me as much as you think you do."

Pema raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Really," Suyin said, smirking. "Go on, ask him something."

"Fine," Pema said tightly, facing her husband. "What's her name?"

Tenzin started to speak, stopped, and then reddened. "I don't know," he said haltingly. "I didn't ask."

Pema put down her glass with such force that it cracked. "You're lying! Suyin, tell me he's lying!"

"I'm not, I'm telling you I don't know!" Tenzin roared.

"He's telling the truth, Pema," Suyin corroborated. "My feet don't lie."

Pema crossed her arms and huffed. The airbender turned to face Suyin. "Do you know her name?"

Suyin arched an eyebrow. "You really think I wouldn't know the name of my only sister's ONLY child? It's Chen. Chen Beifong."

"Chen," Tenzin said, trying out each letter. "That name sounds familiar. Wait, she's the one assigned to guard the kids! Is that why Lin assigned her to us? If she's only 13, should she even be in that position?"

"You just realized that? Spirits almighty Tenzin, how on earth did you get anything done on that council?" Suyin scoffed. "Also, if you think that was Lin's rationale for assigning her to the kids then you don't know her at all, do you? She assigned Chen to guard the kids because she is currently the world's youngest metalbending master with a spotless sparring record to boot. She also looks like she's Jinora's age, which means that she won't draw as much attention as, say, Lin or I would." Suyin finished the rest of her drink and stared the couple down. "Look, I know that you all are less than thrilled about her existence and presence, but if you all make her feel uncomfortable in any way I swear to the Spirits above and around us you both will wish you had never even _breathed_ in her direction _,_ and unlike my sister I will not show mercy. Am I clear?"

Tenzin inclined his head in acknowledgement while Pema crossed her arms and stonily stared at the ground. "Good," she said. Satisfied, she grabbed the rest of her bottle and more on the way out as she sauntered off to Lin's room, where she planned on getting them both very, very drunk.

* * *

Thank the Spirits for Su's cactus juice.

She hated drinking on the job for how it muddled her senses, but now she was glad for the dull buzzing in her head. She heard a quiet knock on the door and touched the stone wall to find a heartbeat she easily recognized.

"Come on in Su," Lin said, waving in her younger sister from her place on the bed.

Suyin strode in, holding two glasses and not one but five bottles of the strongest plum wine. "Hope you're thirsty."

"Spirits Su, are you trying to rob the place of its stores?"

Su shrugged. "It's not like they're going to miss it anyways. They don't drink, remember?"

Lin shook her head and refused her sister's proffered glass. "Thanks, but no thanks. I've already had four shots of diluted cactus juice, and I still need to keep my wits about me since I'm protecting Korra."

Her sister pouted. "You're no fun."

"How about we switch: I'll take the extra glass of plum wine and Lin can have this giant pot of gingko tea because I, for one, am too sober for my liking. Deal?"

The Beifong sisters turned to find Kya leaning in the doorway, a large pot of steaming tea in hand. "Deal," Lin said, waving over the waterbender and joining her sister on the floor.

Quietly the women sat and drank. After a few minutes of silence Suyin slammed her glass down. "All right, I'll start the conversation. Kya, your brother is a dumbass. How did you not freeze him to the wall every time you looked at him as a kid?"

Kya chuckled into her glass. "Oh trust me, I did it pretty often. Though I was equally as stupid-half the time I'd blame it on Bumi. Su, where's the cactus juice? I know you have some on you!"

"I can do you one better," Su said, producing a new flask from her robes and handing it to Kya. Lin raised her eyebrow and said nothing, serenely sipping her tea. Kya had a notoriously high alcohol tolerance, and at times drank even Bumi under the table. Su, ever competitive, would no doubt try to outdo her. She would need to keep an eye on those two, especially considering Su's already gone through half a flask and a bottle of wine. "Did you know that he didn't put together that Chen the guard and Chen the daughter were the exact same person until I told him Chen's name? He didn't have a SINGLE clue!"

Su and Kya laughed raucously until they noticed Lin gulping down her tea, looking aggrievanced. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry Lin," Su said, blushing as she poured herself another glass of wine. "I should have thought that through."

"What? Oh no, you're fine," Lin said, swatting off her sister's attempt at a hug. "I'm just kicking myself more than anything. Why did I tell Tenzin? He was perfectly happy with Pema and the kids, and now? Now I'm homewrecking with a 13 year old daughter who doesn't deserve to be a part of any of this mess. Spirits alive I'm a fool!"

"If you're worried about how they'll treat Chen, don't be," Suyin said, cooly refilling her glass. "I've personally seen to it that they will treat her civilly."

"I'm not sure I want to ask how," Lin said, eyeing her sister dubiously. "But thank you. Really, I appreciate it. Where is Chen anyways? I haven't seen her since I dragged her from the dining room earlier."

"She's in her room," Suyin said, finishing the last of the bottle of wine and opening another. "I heard her practicing her guzheng."

"It's true that you're a fool," Kya stated, taking an entire bottle to herself and pouring half the flask of cactus juice in. Lin viscerally shuddered. If Kya wasn't at least a tiny bit drunk after finishing this bottle, Lin would be shocked. "Especially since she can technically give birth to airbenders. If Harmonic Convergence hadn't happened, and she had a grandchild that was an airbender, how would you have explained that away? You couldn't have, not easily. You think Tenzin's reaction is terrible now? Try to imagine it decades in the future." Sighing, she reached out to comfort the eldest Beifong. "Look, Tenzin will come around to Chen, okay? He always wanted kids with you, and to see that it was true and he didn't know about it-it hurts. The thing is Lin, he loved you, and if you ask me I'm not quite sure he's ever stopped. He'll adore Chen, I promise."

Lin chortled as she sipped her tea. "Ha! That's a good one Kya! Tenzin still loves me, ha," Upon seeing the waterbender's serious face her eyes widened. "Spirits almighty, you can't be serious! Tenzin didn't even start talking to me until after Jinora was born? He wouldn't even meet me at the precinct until after Meelo joined the family!"

"And why do you think that is? He was still painfully in love with you Lin!" Kya exclaimed. "Do you know what he said to me the day that Jinora was born, sitting on the beach watching the waves? 'I saw Lin in her eyes, Kya. That was the first thing I thought when I saw her. Spirits, she's our firstborn child, and still all I see is Lin.'"

"You're lying!" she growled, her eyes flaring with anger.

Suyin subtly used her seismic sense. Kya's heartbeat was strong, her respiration even. "Shit," she whispered. "Lin, she's not lying. She's not lying at all!"

Lin set down her cup and took deep breaths. _This can't be happening, this can't be happening!_ Without another word, she poured herself a glass of plum wine and downed it all in one go, praying to the spirits that this was a terrible cactus-juice-induced dream.

* * *

Now more than ever she was glad she had brought her guzheng.

Her mother had originally put her in music lessons as an after-school activity to keep her occupied while she was at work, much like Toph had done for her and Suyin. Whereas most kids there were bored out of their minds, Chen had fallen in love with the guzheng. The music was enchanting, and playing it was her own version of meditation. Sitting in her guest room, she took her instrument out of its case and began to tune it. Once tuned, she set her fingers high over the strings and ran through a few scales before launching into a few of her solos. _I'll give the Air Nomads this, they really know their acoustics._ The teen was about to start practicing a old favorite when she sensed a familiar heartbeat. "Hi Korra," she said, gracefully setting her hands in her lap. "Was I being too loud?"

"No, not at all," Korra assured her. "I just figured it was time for our nightly braiding routine. Unless you want to be left alone tonight?"

Chen pushed her guzheng away and waved Korra in. Smiling, the Avatar closed the girl's door and sat down behind her. Chen took off her diadem and gave her hairbrush to Korra, who began delicately untangling her long, wavy hair.

"So dinner tonight was...eventful."

Chen snorted. "You could say that. Guess the secret's out, huh?"

Korra parted her hair. "Looks like it, badgermole. How do you feel?"

Chen sighed as Korra's fingers worked nimbly through her hair. "About what, exactly? That the last airbending master in the world is my dad? That Bumi made a fool out of my mom so publicly? There's a lot of feelings here, Korra."

"So you're not happy that Tenzin's your dad?"

"No, it's not that," Chen said. "Honestly, I couldn't care less if he's my dad. Really, I'm not joking. Sure, without him I wouldn't exist but it's my mom who's made me into the person I am today. I'm proud of who I am, and if he doesn't want me then I'm fine with that."

Korra paused halfway through the first braid, eyes wide. "What makes you think he wouldn't want you?"

"Korra, I'm not stupid-I've ruined his picture perfect family with an Air Acolyte wife and airbender children. I've seen firsthand how awkwardly he interacts with my mom, and I know their history. Do you really think he's going to accept me with open arms?"

Korra sighed as she tied off the first braid. "It will take a while, no doubt. Finding out you have a child with your ex-lover that you work with constantly is a lot to process." She spun the girl to face her. "But Tenzin is a good man, and he always wants to do the right thing. I promise you, this will turn out well. As for Bumi, well...I wouldn't worry about him. Knowing your mom, she's probably already set him straight."

Chen thought for a minute and then nodded. "If you say so."

Smiling, Korra turned the girl back around and then worked on the other braid. She had just tied it off when the girls heard a knock. Undoing the metal doorknob, Chen opened the door to reveal Asami, decked out in her silk pajamas and matching robe.

"Hey guys, is this a good time? There's someone who wants to see you, Chen."

Chen stilled herself. "Depends. Who is it?"

Asami stood to the side to reveal Jinora anxiously sitting on an air scooter. The girl jumped off and stood next to the Sato CEO, wary of getting closer.

"I just wanted to say hi," the young Airbender said shyly. "I heard some music, and Asami told me all about how you play solos in sold-out concerts so I wanted to see for myself." Sensing an opening, the girl slowly walked towards Chen until she was seated across from her. "I also wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened at dinner tonight," she whispered.

The Beifong teen blinked confusedly. "Why are you apologizing? There's nothing for you to apologize for."

"Wait so you're not angry at me, or anyone else?"

"Why would I be angry at you?" Upon seeing Jinora's worried face, Chen leaned back from her instrument. "Oh Jinora, what's going on between our parents is nothing you and I are responsible for. I just hope that our parents' issues don't affect our relationship. I promise you, you have nothing to apologize for. We're good."

Jinora brightened. "Really?"

The youngest Beifong nodded. "Really. Though I guess I should apologize for earthbending your Uncle Bumi to the floor. I'm normally much more in control of my temper."

Jinora giggled. "Don't be sorry, he kind of deserved it. Though I guess he's both of our uncles, no?" The Airbender girl blushed immediately. "Sorry."

Chen unconsciously tensed up, then forced herself to relax. Visibly showing discomfort was only going to make the girl stressed. Well, sister. So much for being an only child. "Yeah," she said, plastering an almost-convincing smile on her face. "I guess he is."

Looking down, the eldest airbending child examined Chen's instrument. She had learned about guzhengs through her history books, but she had never seen one up close. Chen's was absolutely beautiful; carved out of richly-toned wood, the instrument featured pearl inlays depicting a garden scene on its body. Delicate floral patterns, also inlaid with pearl, decorated the frame. Chen watched amusedly as she observed Jinora's fascination with her instrument.

"It's probably my most prized possession, though the steel diadem and metalbender uniform over on the desk are close seconds," she said.

The Airbender girl hesitantly reached out to touch the strings, frowning. "Oh dear. Chen, I think you need to restring your instrument. Someone put steel strings on instead of silk."

"Oh I strung it that way intentionally," Chen said assuredly. Upon seeing Jinora's confusion, she turned to Asami who was watching from a distance. "Asami, you didn't tell her how I played, did you?"

Asami grinned as she settled herself next to Jinora. "Nope. I figured I'd let you have the honor, kid."

Chen impishly grinned as she set her hands high above the strings. Within seconds, her instrument was singing. Jinora's face transformed from confusion to joy to awe as the girl watched Chen masterfully play the instrument without touching the strings even once, her fingers delicately controlling the strings below like puppets. Once she finished the piece, she serenely placed her hands in her lap and bowed as she heard the sound of hands clapping. Startled, she sat up to find Ikki and Meelo clapping as they sat on their air scooters.

"Hey, you're really good," Meelo said as he jumped off his air scooter and stood in the doorway. "I still like the marbles better though."

"That was AMAZING!" Ikki squealed. "Your instrument is so pretty! What is it? How did you learn to play like that? Do you think you can teach me? Ooh can you perform after dinner tomorrow?"

"Ikki, be polite," Jinora warned. "It's not nice to ask so many questions at once."

"No, it's alright, I don't mind answering them." Chen assured Jinora as she turned to Ikki. "This instrument is called a guzheng, and it's popular in the southern Earth Kingdom. Mine is a family heirloom from Gaoling, where it was made over 300 years ago. I learned how to play using my metalbending from my mom, who uses metalbending to play a couple instruments of her own, but I learned how to play in general from an afterschool program my mom put me in when I was five. I can try to teach you if you want, and if your parents are fine with it then I would love to play after dinner!"

Ikki's grey eyes widened. "Auntie Lin plays music tooooooo?!"

"Oh yeah, and she can sing sweeter than the songbirds to boot. And your dad can play airbender horns better than anyone I know," Bumi added. The group turned around to find the man leaning in the doorway, rock dust from earlier still attached to his training uniform. "He used to play for days on end-sometimes he would even chant the old Air Nomad hymns, but the family made him stop. You try tellin' me that chants and ominous horns late at night aren't creepy."

Jinora giggled. Her father really was very fond of his airbender horns, and was known to escape to the study to practice when Meelo wore him out. Bumi turned to Chen. "Now I know you kids have are having your little sleepover, but I just wanted to stop by and tell you that you've got talent, kid. Reminded me of bein' a kid on Air Temple Island and hearing Linny's voice being carried on the breeze."

Chen smiled. Her mother was musically inclined-she had grown up, after all, to Lin's tender lullabies and beautifully played accompaniments-but she spoke so little of her training years. Small wonder if most of them took place on Air Temple Island. "Thanks, Bumi-Uncle Bumi, sorry. Do you mind if I call you that?"

Bumi's eyes crinkled at the corners as a grin lit up his entire face. "Nothin' would make me happier, kiddo." Chen gracefully weaved her way through her room and gave Bumi a hug. She knew he wasn't one for apologizing the traditional way-but telling her a bit about her mother's past did make a good impression. "Spirits kid, you look so much like your mother, you know that?" Chen nodded happily in return. Bumi turned to the group. "Now I know you all like close quarters for sleepovers, but six kids in one tiny room isn't going to cut it. Follow me."

Intrigued, Korra and the others followed Bumi out of the room as Chen put away her guzheng and donned a pair of fingerless opera gloves Suyin gave her. Bumi raised an eyebrow. "They hold my throwing knives. It's easier sleeping in these than in my metalbending uniform." Satisfied, the group followed Bumi out of the dormitories and up the temple stairs. They soon found themselves above the radio room. The room was bare and spacious, with large windows allowing the warm wind to move freely.

"This room smells so good," Jinora noted. "Like lavender and cotton."

"That would be because we're in the laundry room," Bumi said, opening a hidden door to pull out blankets, sleeping pallets, and pillows. "Since nothing's hanging to dry right now, it's the perfect place to build a blanket fort for the night!"

The airbender kids squealed with glee and quickly used their bending to set up a giant blanket ceiling while Korra, Asami, and Chen set up sleeping pallets and pillows. Soon all the kids were inside, laughing over jokes and telling scary stories. Bumi smiled and climbed down the stairs, warmed by the scene behind him and reminiscing over sleepovers long past.


	10. Chapter 10

Only person I own is Chen! A million thanks to user J H. L. Z. N. T. L. for being my beta reader!

* * *

Seriously? Out of all the ways they could have tracked him the Red Lotus had to use the Spirit World?

Tenzin sighed as he sat in the open-air pagoda and began reviewing scrolls for future use in trainings. With the air crisp and the sun shining, this would have been the perfect day to meditate, no—to percolate over the fact that he was a father once again.

Lin Beifong, who couldn't have cared less for motherhood, had in reality given birth to and lovingly raised their child for 13 years. A child that looked so much like her mother it hurt, who possessed the same prodigious earthbending capabilities. A child who, looking back, had been under his nose the entire time, watching him closely as he visited her mother at her office in downtown Republic City. He had already missed her birth, her first day of school, her first time metalbending. How much more would he have been oblivious to if Lin hadn't told him anything?

Tenzin attempted to return to his scrolls but found his thoughts wandering back to Lin, that beautiful, fierce woman whom he had known since their infancy. When they were young and in the deepest throes of love, he told her once while they were stargazing on Air Temple Island that he loved her more than life itself. While Lin might have forgotten it, Tenzin never had. He had loved her passionately, ardently, more than he loved his once-dying nation. He would have loved her until the end of time, but as they grew older the pressure to produce airbenders mounted. He was fully ready to resist the White Lotus—he could teach airbending to non-benders and keep the art alive—but Lin wasn't having it. She didn't want him to choose her over his nation, and she knew how he looked at Pema…

"Tenzin?"

The Airbender turned around and smiled at his wife. "Pema my love, good morning," he greeted, an awkward formality to his tone. "I thought you were supposed to be in the kitchen helping the kids bake."

"I would be if they had showed up. We were supposed to start at precisely 8 o'clock this morning—it's been over an hour and still they haven't appeared. Spirits Tenzin, we need to restart their meditation lessons and get some discipline back in their lives. I get that Chen's appearance is exciting, but that doesn't give them the excuse to shirk their responsibilities!"

"Now I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation," Tenzin soothed. "As a guard and Lin's daughter, I highly doubt Chen's the one dragging them on adventures."

Pema raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And you would know that how exactly?" Tenzin sighed. _Because I know Lin, and I know myself. There's no way here or in the Spirit World we'd have a kid who didn't have Lin's determination or my seriousness._ Not that it mattered what he thought, anyways. He had repeatedly told her the truth after dinner—that he had never known of Chen's existence until yesterday—but it was clear that she didn't believe him. Even Suyin's truth seeing hadn't swayed her.

"Because I know Lin, and I know her expectations," he said, standing up. "Speaking of which, let me go talk to her—maybe she's seen the kids."

"Fine," Pema replied curtly, turning towards the kitchens. Tenzin stalked towards the women's dormitories and ran into Lin half carrying, half dragging Suyin.

"Spirits Airhead, watch where you're going," Suyin slurred. Tenzin raised an eyebrow and faced Lin. "Don't mind us, Suyin's still hungover after drinking three bottles of plum wine and two flasks of cactus juice. If you're looking for Pema, I think I saw her going towards the kitchens."

"Thank you Lin, but I'm actually looking for you," Tenzin replied, taking Suyin's free arm around his shoulder and leading the group to the bathroom. "By the way, you haven't seen the kids, have you? They were supposed to be baking with Pema this morning, but she says they haven't shown up yet."

Lin shook her head as she tied her sister's hair back. "No, I've been dealing with Suyin since I woke up. Someone here had the brilliant idea to try and outdrink Kya last night." In response Suyin blanched and hugged the toilet bowl. Lin rolled her eyes as Tenzin awkwardly patted her back. Did Suyin really think she could outdrink Kya?

"You know what, why don't we ask Korra?" Lin said. "She should be waking up right about now." After setting Suyin up with a pillow and a glass of water, the two knocked on the girl's door and found no response. Gently jiggling the doorknob, she opened the door to find an empty bedroom. The police chief scanned the room suspiciously; it was neat, too neat by Korra's standards. Everything was in its proper place, and the bed, which normally would have been haphazardly made, looked as if it had never been slept in. Striding out of the room, she opened Asami's door and made her way inside. The girl had been there, to be sure—her clothes were hanging in the armoire, and her electric glove was placed on the desk—but her bed hadn't been touched either. Wordlessly she darted out of the room and made her way towards Chen's door.

"Lin, what's going on?" Tenzin asked, worry rising in his voice. "Is everything okay?"

Lin forced opened her daughter's door to find her room in order. Like Asami's, it was clear that Chen had been there relatively recently; the bed was slightly rumpled but made, clothes were in the dresser, and her guzheng was put away next to the desk. Upon seeing her daughter's diadem and metalbending uniform, she paused. Chen would never take off without her armor, not willingly…

"Hang on," she said to Tenzin, retracting the sole of her uniform, "I just need to check the premises." Forcefully stomping her foot, she scanned the dormitories and the temple. The kids' rooms were clear nor were they running around in the hallways. Anxiety rising, she examined the pagoda. No one was on the ground floor, and only a couple Air Acolytes were minding the radio room. She was about to take her foot off the ground when she felt something slight, almost like a tickle. She cursed under her breath; the temple may be made out of stone, but the higher a story was off the ground the more useless her seismic sense became. After a couple more beats she lifted her foot of the ground and faced Tenzin. "Come with me. I think I know where they might be."

Chen woke up and luxuriously stretched. Gently removing Meelo's arm from around her stomach, she sleepily inspected her surroundings. The sun was brightly shining through the sheer cotton sheets of the fort, so it was well past sunrise; however, it couldn't be much earlier than 9 in the morning judging by the fact that everyone but her was still asleep. She moved to tiptoe out of the fort when she felt people coming towards the group. Without thinking she darted out of the tent and launched her projectiles at the source of the movement. Before he could even react Tenzin found himself forced against the wall and held in place by thin strips of metal. Lin disregarded the Airbender and ran to tightly embrace her daughter, her hidden anxiety dissolving the longer she held her. "Are you okay my love?" she asked, rapidly smoothing down her daughter's bedhead.

"Yes Mama, I'm okay," Chen replied, sleepily rubbing her eyes. "I'm sorry if I scared you—we all decided to have a sleepover last night, and my room was way too small for us to fit. So Uncle Bumi showed us this place, and we set up camp!"

"Uncle Bumi, huh?" Lin said, a smile playing on her lips. Oh he was going to get it when she next saw him. "Yeah, he would do something like that. Did you all have fun at least?"

Chen nodded happily and was about to start her recap of last night when they felt movement. Turning around, they saw Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo sleepily padding towards their father and stopping short upon realizing he was attached to the wall. "Oh, hang on guys," Chen said, blushing as she bent her metal projectiles back into their storage spaces. Tenzin used his airbending to cushion his landing as his kids toppled him over with their hugs.

"DADDY!" They whisper-shouted, mindful that Korra and Asami were still sound asleep. "We had a sleepover last night, and it was so much fun! Chen played music for us, and Korra and Asami told us all sorts of stories!"

"I'm glad you all had fun," Tenzin replied, relief coursing through his veins. Of _course_ they would have snuck out to the pagoda have a sleepover—not like Bumi or Kya, who snuck out constantly to Republic City or even to Ember Island whenever they had the chance. "But you know what's also fun? Helping your mother with the baking. She's been waiting for you all for quite some time now, so if I were you I would apologize for being late and making her worry." The children's eyes widened and they ran towards the kitchen. After hearing the kids run down the stairs, Korra and Asami sleepily poked their heads out from the blanket fort; nodding their hellos, they wordlessly headed back towards their rooms. Chen moved to follow them but was stopped by Tenzin. "Thank you for protecting Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, Chen."

Chen bowed. "You don't need to thank me, it's my job. Wait, why are you thanking me anyways? I just nailed you to a wall!"

Tenzin resisted the urge to chuckle. Spirits, he might as well be talking to Lin. "You thought Lin and I were intruders, and you didn't even think twice before launching yourself towards impending danger. You're a Beifong, through and through."

Chen perked up. "Thank you-" she said, unsure what to call the man in front of her. Sure, he was her father, but Dad just seemed too weird. Technically his name was Master Tenzin, but considering his relationship to her and to her mother that was far too formal.

"It's alright," he said, anticipating her internal discourse. "We can figure things out later."

The girl bowed again and moved towards the stairs when Lin called her back. "Badgermole, wait," she said, motioning for the girl to come towards her. "Why don't you take today off? You could hang out with Korra and Asami, read in the library, or practice your guzheng so that way you're not rusty when school starts in the fall."

"If you want, I could show you around the grounds," Tenzin offered eagerly. "We have a beautiful flower garden, and the wisteria is coming in rather nicely."

Chen turned to her mother. "But Mama, what about the kids? They need to be protected!"

"I can look after them for the day—I've been meaning to talk to Pema, so this gives me a reason to," Lin soothed. Seeing her daughter's stress play out on her face, she delicately cupped Chen's face in her hands. "Sweetheart, please don't stress yourself out. I know you feel entirely responsible for their safety but you're only 13, not much older than Jinora."

"Grandma Toph was only twelve when she helped save the world," Chen muttered, aware that Tenzin was trying to listen in. "I can help protect three children."

"Think of it as looking out for them the same way Korra looks out for you. They're plenty capable of defending themselves on their own, trust me. We're only here for backup." Bringing her in for a hug, she whispered in her daughter's ear. "You're not in trouble, I promise. And you don't have to go with Tenzin unless you want to."

Chen nodded and thought for a few moments. Korra and Asami had promised that they would show her some self-defense moves, and Opal had told her over dinner last night about the library's extensive collections. She didn't want to go with Tenzin, but she had heard wonders about the orchards and flower gardens the Air Acolytes tended. When else would she have the chance to see the gardens of the Northern Air Temple, and with the last airbending master no less? Her mind made up, she faced Tenzin. "You said something about wisteria, I believe?"

* * *

How could Tenzin spend all his time at Air Temple Island?

She had read about the garden's beauty, had even seen sketches, but they did no justice to the beauty before her eyes. Flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors were in full bloom as Acolyte gardeners meticulously tended to weeds and pests. Tenzin was right about the wisteria: it was stunning in full bloom. Trained to climb up trellises and arches, the bright purple blooms accented an already stunning vision.

"Do you like it?" Tenzin asked her anxiously as they walked through the gardens.

"It's beautiful," Chen breathed, her eyes focused on the wisteria hanging above her. "The only thing that could make this better is if there were some cherry blossom trees."

Tenzin chuckled as they turned the corner. "You mean like these?"

Chen did a double take. There in front of her was a grove of cherry blossom trees whose branches were in full bloom. Giggling gleefully, she twirled underneath the branches of the fragrant trees. Blossoms fell and became pink exclamations in her midnight hair. After catching Tenzin watching her, she blushed. "Cherry blossoms are my favorite," she mumbled as she returned to his side.

The airbender smiled. "I'm glad you like them." He lightly guided her to a bench overlooking the mountainside. Framed by cherry blossom trees, the place had been one of Lin's favorite retreats. Nowadays, he found himself there in the spring, meditating as flowers floated by his head.

The two sat together, silently soaking in the picturesque view. Chen turned towards her companion. "You don't have to do this, you know."

Tenzin gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"All of this," Chen gestured. "The garden tour, the cherry blossoms-which, I'm not sure how you knew I would like them, but thank you for including them-it's okay. You don't have to spend time with me. You have Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Rohan to get back to. Mom and I are fine on our own."

Tenzin sighed and caught a cherry blossom as it floated by him. "Did you know that this was your mother's favorite place at any air temple? She didn't like the other ones because they were so far removed from the earth but this place, connected to the Earth Kingdom and surrounded by her favorite flowers, this place she would always return to. Even now I half-expect to find her here-not that it would happen, of course."

Chen watched Tenzin closely. They had the same eyes-different color, but the same distant wisdom. They betrayed guilt, that much was certain. But there was something else too-was it shame? Regret? Sorrow? A combination of them all?

"Cherry blossoms have always been a part of my life. Mom was cradling me to her chest after I had just been born, and a breeze apparently carried a bunch of cherry blossom flowers that landed on her and on me. She said it was a sign, and almost named me Sakura Beifong because of it. That, and because I was born on the first day of the Gaoling Cherry Blossom festival to boot. Every now and then she calls me her little Sakura."

Satisfied, the two sat in silence, watching the flowers pass by them. Tenzin was the first to break the silence. "I'm not doing this out of pity, Chen. I really do want to get to know you. So much time has passed already, and I know you and your mom are thriving on your own, but I just thought-well, I thought it would be nice to know my firstborn."

Chen nodded, mulling over her options. So he wanted to get to know her, but at what cost? It would almost certainly alienate him from his wife. He would be taking time away from Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, who certainly needed their airbending master more than their metalbender sibling did. Not to mention that there would have to be some sort of custody agreement between him and her mother, and the last thing she wanted was to be shuffled between houses.

Yet at the same time she couldn't exactly blame him. Tenzin had loved her mother, the love letters she had found stashed under her mother's bed confirmed as such. Her mother trusted him enough to work with him closely on a daily basis. Heck, she had even given up her _bending_ , the very essence of what made her mother herself, to save Tenzin and his family when the Equalists tried taking over Republic City. That had to say something, right? "What else do you want to know?" she asked, facing Tenzin. "You're not asking questions very loudly."

Tenzin smiled a real, genuine smile. She had been with him for less than an hour and already she could read him like a book. "There are so many things I want to know-where do you live? Do you go to school, or are you homeschooled? What do you for fun? Do you play multiple instruments? Have you ever bent a meteorite?"

Chen laughed heartily. She could see where Ikki got her inquisitiveness from. "I live in Republic City with my mom, so not terribly far away from Air Temple Island but spend significant chunks of the year at the ancestral house in Gaoling. I do go to school, but Mom put me in a private school because it's safer, has a better curriculum, and has a shorter, more flexible school year, which is good because I travel a lot for music competitions. I play Pai Sho, go over to friends' places to hang out, and go to the library with Mom to check out new books. I can play the pipa, the qinqin, and two songs on the erhu, but the guzheng is my favorite instrument hands down and the one I'm the best at. And no I haven't, why?"

Tenzin grinned. "Come with me." Helping Chen to her feet, he led the girl through the gardens and into his study, where he pulled out a box from his desk and handed it to her. Chen opened it and gasped. Inside were chunks of raw meteorite just waiting to be manipulated. "A meteorite crashed into a nearby mountain a few months ago," he answered, anticipating Chen's question. "The Air Acolytes collected the remains and gave them to me when I arrived with the new airbenders. I originally meant to send them to your Aunt Suyin since she collects rare meteorites, but I figure you could have them instead-if you want them, of course."

Chen fingered the meteorite chunks, then closed the box and slid it under her arm. "Thank you," she said, bowing deeply. "I'm definitely going to be keeping these."

The airbender bowed in response, equal parts happy and relieved that she had accepted the gift. Chen turned to put the box in her room when she paused and faced Tenzin. "Can I ask you something?"

Tenzin furrowed his brow in concern. "Yes, of course. Is there anything I can help with?"

"Well, I'm not sure if it's something you can help with," Chen replied, blushing. "It's just-did you love my mother?"

Tenzin sucked in a deep breath and began rummaging around one of the drawers. How could he even begin to explain the depth of love he had possessed for Lin? Lin had been everything to him, the one person who made him want to be the best he possibly could. Now...now he wasn't quite sure what they were, but she was still important to him. Upon finding what he had been looking for, he handed it over to Chen.

Chen, intrigued, took the item. It was an old photo, judging by the way it was slightly faded. It depicted Lin and Tenzin when they were in the prime of their youth. Tenzin, all sinewy muscle, was tightly embracing her mother. Lin, Chen noted, was smiling, _really_ smiling. Her hair flowed freely down her back, and was accented by a singular fire lily. The photo radiated joy. "We took that photo after she made detective," Tenzin explained. "She was so thrilled, and I was too." Tenzin gently clasped Chen's shoulder. "Chen, I loved your mother more than the air I breathed. She was everything to me, and even though I married Pema she didn't become any less important-the nature of our relationship simply changed. Your mother and I are bound together for life-through our past, through our work, and now through you."

Chen's delicate hand held her father's. "You knew about me before Bumi's revelation, didn't you? I saw how ashen your face looked when we all walked into dinner yesterday, and how angry you were when Bumi let it slip. You didn't take the news well, I'm guessing."

Tenzin sighed and rubbed his head, slightly pinking from embarrassment. "I was a little shocked by your mother's revelation. I never thought in a million years that I would have a child with Lin, and a metalbending master at that. Lin and I had talked about children, made lists of names that we would use if we were ever blessed-"

His daughter's eyes flashed in interest. "Was my name on there?"

The airbender smiled. "It was indeed. I actually chose the name-Chen Beifong just sounded right. I can't believe your mother used it; we gave up on baby names long before our relationship ended. I thought she had forgotten."

"Mama never forgets," she said softly. Chen hesitated, then looked up to her father. "Come with me." Dashing out of the study, Chen led Tenzin to her room, where she began leafing through the pages of an old leather-bound book. "I brought this with me thinking this was a photo album, but come to find out it's a bunch of letters from when she was pregnant with me. I didn't understand at first why she never sent them-but after yesterday I do now. Here, this is the one I've been looking for-it's the only one addressed to a person, too."

Tenzin gently took the pro-offered book. Upon looking closer at the page Chen directed him to he stifled a cry. Lin was in bed, her face away from the camera and focused on an impossibly small infant, her arms lovingly cradling the tightly wrapped bundle in her arms. As he read the letter, he was powerless to stop tears from falling freely down his face.

 _My dearest Tenzin,_

 _Spirits, how I wish I could talk to you right now. Whenever we've been apart, we've always found ways to communicate-telegram, phone call, messenger hawk-but now, of all the times I need to reach you, I can't. Our lives are no longer one and that's fine. You and Pema get along better than we ever have, and she'll be a far better wife than I would have made._

 _Yet somehow I still hope that you'll return and join me in Gaoling. I miss you, Tenzin, and I'm not sure I'll ever stop. At least I'm not alone._

 _I don't know how to tell you this-especially since everything still seems so surreal-but you're a father now, Tenzin. After 14 hours of excruciating pain our daughter came into the world blessedly healthy at 8AM this morning, and announced her grand entrance with the loudest cry I've ever heard. She's definitely inherited your airbender lungs, love._

 _It feels so wrong that you're not here, that it's me who's cradling her in my arms and not you. She's perfect Tenzin-I never understood when parents used that term in reference to their children, but now I really do. She's absolutely beautiful. She has a head full of wispy black hair and bright green eyes that curiously follow my every movement. They're not the same color, but they're your eyes. She took my breath away the first time she opened them, the same way yours did-and still do._

 _This entire pregnancy all I could think about was you, and what it would be like if you had been here with me. I liked to imagine your face after I told you about our impending addition, your reaction upon feeling them kick for the first time, and hours of conversation spent over baby names, spirits the baby names especially. I read every single list we ever made while I was pregnant; it made me feel like you were right next to me. You always said we'd know as soon as a baby arrived what their name would be, and you were right. As soon as I saw our daughter's face I knew that she was a Chen. Do you remember that name? It's from the Earth Kingdom-you chose it in case we ever had a daughter. Well she's here now, and she's everything you ever hoped for and more. She's barely a few hours old and already I love her so much my heart could burst._

 _Take care, Tenzin. I wish you the best, always._

 _Lin_

Tenzin looked up to find Chen watching him closely. "Why would you show me this?" he asked, wiping tears from his face.

"Because at the moment you're worried about how I'm handling my newfound connection to you, and you shouldn't be. In fact, you should be more concerned about how Mom's handling everything. She hardly talks about my infancy, and this letter shows why. She loved you-really, _really_ loved you. For her to put herself out there and tell you about me took a lot of bravery on her end. Promise me you won't hurt her, not again."

Tenzin handed the album back to his daughter. "I can't make that promise," he whispered, softly tracing the lines on Chen's palm.

* * *

There was a reason she had waited until Chen was eight to teach her how to bake.

Toph had dropped off a hyperactive eight-year-old Lin for her friends to watch over while she dealt with a particularly difficult kidnapping case. At their wit's end, Katara and Sokka had forced the girl to help them make a couple Water Tribe dishes and found that she possessed a natural culinary talent. From then on Katara and Sokka taught her how to make Southern Water Tribe dishes; even Aang had gotten in on Lin's culinary lessons, and personally taught her how to make all Air Nomad recipes as well. It was said that the Avatar had preferred her egg custard tarts even more than the ones the Air Acolytes made.

But the calm lessons of the past were nothing like the mess she was dealing with now. Flour was flying everywhere as a harried Lin and Pema tried corralling Ikki and Meelo into mixing the pastry dough for the pies that were to be served as dessert that night. Jinora, ever patient, sat calmly amidst the chaos as she mixed the jams and jellies for the fillings. How she didn't share her siblings' hyperactivity was beyond Lin's comprehension.

Lin, with her left eye lid slightly twitching and her ears ringing from the children's endless bickering, wordlessly stopped and turned to the group. With a snap of her cable, she yanked Meelo away from the sacks of flour and set him down before the massive mixer, switching his place with Ikki.

"Meelo, handle the milk, eggs, butter, and oil. Ikki, you measure the flour, baking powder, yeasts, and grains, and YOU," she turned to Jinora, "little miss jelly filling, need to make sure that Meelo doesn't get egg shells in the liquid ingredients."

"Lin, I'd rather you not treat my children like your officers," Pema said, frowning as she gently bounced Rohan. Yet Lin's tactic had worked. Meelo was singularly focused on cracking the eggs into the mixer, Ikki was happily measuring out the dry ingredients, and Jinora continued to mix the jellies while making sure the two weren't making a mess. "But thank you, really-I don't think I've ever had the kitchen be this quiet when they're around."

"Of course," Lin nodded in response. After watching the children work harmoniously together, she turned to Tenzin's wife. "Would you mind taking a lap with me around the balcony? There's something we need to discuss." After calling in Bumi to watch all of the kids (and Lin thoroughly scolding him for not telling her the location of the children), the two women found themselves circling the parapets. Lin sighed and looked towards Pema. "He really didn't know about Chen, Pema. You shouldn't be so harsh on him-it's the last thing he needs."

Pema's mouth formed a hard line as she looked out into the distance. For claiming that she was hidden, the two were certainly putting a lot of effort into trying to convince her…

"You don't believe me," Lin commented, leaning on the railing next to the Air Acolyte. "When you really think about it, I guess it is hard to believe what with our shared background and professions and all. But I promise you Pema, he genuinely didn't know. If the world wasn't changing so much I might have kept it that way."

As Lin walked off, Pema caught her arm. "Why did you do it?" she asked, shocked by the forcefulness of her own question. "If you really cared for him, why would you hide his child?"

"I did it because I cared for him." Upon seeing Pema's confused face, she sighed and motioned for the Air Acolyte to sit on the nearby bench. "I did consider telling him, you know. But I saw the way he looked at you. More than that Pema, I saw how you made him feel. Every time you walked past him he smiled a little brighter, every touch made him scoot just that much closer to you. I remember what it was like to be loved like him that way, and I didn't want to get in the middle of what you two had."

Pema knit her brows together. "So you just gave up? Even though you could have been carrying the next airbender for all you knew?"

Lin laughed bitterly. "I knew without actually knowing that I wasn't carrying the next airbender. No Pema, that was never my destiny in life. As much as Tenzin and I both wanted it we knew in our heart of hearts that I wasn't meant to be the next mother of the Air Nomads. It was always meant to be you, don't you see? You're patient, kind, good with kids. Not only do you tolerate Tenzin's spiritual mumbo-jumbo, you're actively interested in it as well. You cared enough about the Air Nomads to become an Air Acolyte yourself when you could have just as easily checked out a few history books from the library. I never had that calling, Pema. Our destinies may be intertwined, yes, but as allies, not as a couple."

The other woman smiled bittersweetly. "Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lin, I'm not stupid. I've seen the way he looks at you. He still loves you, even if you can't see it."

The police chief swallowed back her laughter. "That's only because you've never been treated to his 20,000 photos of you and the kids. I can't tell you how many times I've been late to my own meetings because Tenzin held me up to tell me about how you surprised him with his favorite pie, or whatever new milestone the kids hit." Upon seeing Pema's distrustful face, she gently put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "Pema, he doesn't love me, not like that. He loves his past with me, he loves that I saved his future, but he doesn't love me like he loves you."

Pema blushed. "I don't think we ever quite thanked you for what you did with the Equalists, did we?"

"It's not needed," Lin assured her. "I was just doing my job."

"Perhaps so," Pema replied, not believing Lin's blithe response. "But Lin, what you did for me-what you did for us-we can never repay you for that sacrifice. If it hadn't been for Korra's energybending, you would lost your bending permanently. And to think, the entire time you had a child waiting for you to come home…"

Lin stiffened. She would sacrifice herself in a heartbeat if it meant saving Tenzin and his family, but she loathed herself for it, for putting others before her own precious daughter. The thought of leaving her daughter alone in the world killed her, but it's a reality she faced everyday as Chief of Police. At least now Suyin knows and would be willing to take in Chen should anything happen, Spirits forbid.

"Chen is everything to me," Lin said so softly Pema barely heard her. "Protecting her is what I care about most in this world. I hid her because the last thing I wanted was her to be subjected to the unrealistic expectations Tenzin and I grew up with. It was hard enough being the daughter of the originator of metalbending, but to be Toph's granddaughter along with Katara and Aang's? I couldn't do that to her, Pema. She deserves to live a life free to pursue her passions, whatever they may be."

Pema softly chuckled in response. "You claim that you don't subscribe to the Air Nomad's spiritual practices, but you understand them far better than you think. As Tenzin would say, 'Air is-"

"The element of freedom," Lin finished with a smile. "You never knew Aang, but Chen's innocence reminds me so much of him it hurts sometimes."

"She has your perception, your discipline, your determination-everything, really. I saw it in action yesterday when she was helping me yesterday in the kitchens. Ikki and Meelo were running around everywhere, and still she focused on doing what needed to be done."

Lin grinned. That sounded just like her daughter. "Chen would be the one to keep calm under stress. But I'll tell you one thing she has that's not mine-her innate kindness. That's all Tenzin's doing, thank the Spirits. I've always been a bit brusque, but somehow I get the sweetest kid."

"Somehow I get the feeling that Aang had a hand in that," Pema noted kindly.

The police chief nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "You're probably right." She had never liked Tenzin's wife that much-her presence reminded her of one of the more painful parts of her life-but at least she wasn't antagonistic towards her daughter's presence. Considering the circumstances, that was all she could ask for. Walking side-by-side, they descended the stairs to meet the newest group of airbenders ready to train at the temple.

* * *

He really didn't think it would be that easy.

All it took was stealing a uniform to blend in with the new airbenders. Pema and Lin didn't even look his way as they called in the group for lunch. He walked behind the group as they departed for the dining room, but as soon as everyone was inside he snuck into the radio room. "It's empty? Spirits, you all are too trusting," Zaheer snickered. After radioing the others, he broke the radios in the room and waited for P'Li to strike.

It didn't take long.

Lin was calmly eating her miso soup when she felt foreign vibrations underneath her feet. _That's odd_ , she thought. _Where the hell did that come from?_ Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a massive explosion across the temple.

"Everyone, to the basement! NOW!" she barked. Those present quickly scrambled into the hidden trapdoor that Pema opened as chunks of temple could be seen flying past the windows. Chen and Korra stayed outside, helping the new airbenders down the stairs. Before she could protest, Chen was dragged underground by Pema before the woman shut the door. Upon noticing that Korra was getting into fighting position, Lin's eyes narrowed.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" Lin hissed, bending crumbling ceilings out of their way as they ran towards the source of the explosion.

"Helping you! That's what the Avatar does!"

"No, they know when to bide their time! Go back to the basement where you'll be protected!"

"Absolutely not!" Korra balked. "Lin, the last time an Avatar didn't act the Air Nomads paid the ultimate price. I'm not letting that happen again."

Lin nodded, and pulled the girl into a tight hug and away from a falling piece of stone. As they ran towards the source of the attack the damage became more severe. She had promised the girl's parents that she would protect her, but now they knew Korra's face-off with the Red Lotus was imminent. With the help of Lin's metal cords they pulled themselves into the radio room only to find that all of the machines were smashed beyond repair and were about to head down to the basement when something caught Korra's eye. "Chief, look!"

The chief followed Korra's line of sight to find an unfamiliar airship parked above the bagua circles, and defended by a smaller man who wielded a glider. Nearby was a tall combustionbender, who was in the process of destroying the sides of the temple. Lin winced, knowing the painstaking effort Tenzin had gone through to fully restore this part of his homeland. The two women quickly ran towards the airship, ducking and weaving as debris flew by their heads. Noticing Zaheer opening his glider, Lin slashed the fabric of his instrument with her metal cords before he could take flight. Grinning wickedly, he motioned for P'Li to stop combustionbending.

"Well, well, well, Avatar, it's nice to finally see you again," Zaheer sneered, swaggering towards Korra. Lin growled and engaged her daggers.

"Huh, can't say the feeling's mutual," Korra replied, drawing fire into her palms. So this was the leader of the Red Lotus, the man who so desperately wanted his hands on her. He looked unnervingly...normal. How long had he been around without her realizing it?

"Easy all, I'm just coming to visit for a simple request," Zaheer calmly drawled. "I'm interested in...an exchange, if you will."

Lin crossed her arms and scowled. "An exchange? Of what, exactly? Sorry Zaheer, this isn't Lunar New Year. We're not interested in learning who makes the best red bean filling."

Zaheer chuckled. "You say that now. But something tells me in a few minutes you and your friends won't be singing the same tune."

Lin narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't."

The man in front of her parted his lips into a snarl. "Try me." At that moment he held his hand up to the airship. Five uneasy minutes passed. Then, Lin's portable police radio cracked.

"Lin, are you there? Can you hear me?"

The police chief's heart quickened. It wasn't like Suyin to sound flustered. "I read you, loud and clear. What's going on?"

"Something's wrong! The basement walls are warming up like there's lava behind them-"

"Chief, it's Bolin! The basement is MELTING! WE NEED SOME BACKUP HERE!"

Panic seized the police chief. Lavabending was arguably the rarest subskill of bending out there; the only known Avatar capable of performing such a task was Kyoshi herself, and she had only performed the feat once well over 400 years ago. Korra was arguably the only person who could attempt it, unless…

"Bolin, you need to freeze the lava!" Lin commanded. "Chen, Suyin, and I don't have that ability, you're the only one who can!"

"WHAT?" Bolin yelled, shocked at her command. "Chief, that's IMPOSSIBLE! If you can't do it, no one else can!"

"Well, someone else is, so you're wrong there!" Lin retorted. "Bolin, you're half Earth Kingdom and half Fire Nation, the two elements necessary to lava! You have to try!"

"Alright Chief, here goes nothing!" A few terrifyingly silent moments passed before shocked gasps could be heard. "HOLY SHIT BEIFONG, I DID IT! WE'RE GOOD CHIEF, CRISIS AVERTED! OUT AND OVER, OVER AND OUT!"

Korra took a deep breath to steady herself, unwilling to show her fear. "How DARE YOU attack innocent people! You're not interested in them! What good does hurting women and children do you?"

"I will do whatever necessary to accomplish my end goals," Zaheer stated coldly. "Now are you ready to listen?"

Korra and Lin looked at each other, then eased out of their fighting forms.

"Good," Zaheer purred. "Now, I propose an exchange: Korra for the new airbenders. Unless, of course, you want the Air Nomads wiped out a second time?"

Lin looked over to find Korra deep in thought. "Korra, you can't be serious," she murmured, eyes wide.

"I'm not going to send the Air Nomads to their death," Korra whispered back. After another moment of thought, she turned to face Zaheer. "If I go with you, will you and the rest of your group leave the Air Nomads in peace?"

Zaheer nodded his assent, and gestured for the combustionbender to enter the airship. Korra raised an eyebrow. "And the lavabender?"

"He only leaves if you do, Avatar."

"Korra, I'm begging you, please don't do this," Lin whispered frantically.

"You said you trusted me to make the right decision, Mama Beifong," Korra said, trying desperately to comfort the police chief. "This is it. You and I both know it's the only way."

Lin swallowed her tears and nodded, feigning acceptance and understanding. Without looking back Korra offered her wrists to Zaheer, who cuffed them in platinum links. After tapping on the ground, the lavabender appeared and escorted the airbender and the Avatar onto the airship. It was only after Korra and the Red Lotus were out of sight that she fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Her charge, who only happened to be the Avatar, was gone, in chains, and at the mercy of four criminals capable of decimating the entirety of the Four Nations.


	11. Chapter 11

I only own Chen! MAJOR CREDITS as always to user J. H. L. Z. N. T. L. as always for being my beta reader and suggesting the best ways to keep the story going! You're the best, seriously.

A note: some of the dialogue, such as the conversation between Lin and Suyin in the strategy meeting and on top of Laghima's Peak is from the show itself. I most definitely cannot take credit for that portion of my chapter! Although I wish I had come up with "Come and get me, you third-eyed freak!"-an iconic line if I've even seen one.

* * *

Fifteen minutes had passed and Lin was still on her knees, paralyzed by what had just happened.

As Chief of Police for Republic City, she was responsible for ensuring the safety of millions of innocent citizens; now, after taking a leave of absence from the force, she had tasked herself with protecting the Avatar.

Never had she failed at both so horrendously. Even the Equalist debacle was mild compared to this.

Korra, a teen she's watched over since her childhood, was in the hands of the most dangerous threat the world had ever seen and it was her fault. She never should have let Korra board that airship; it should have been her instead. They were anarchists highly trained in the rarest subskills, subskills that even Lin hadn't seen after decades on the force. While the Avatar was the most powerful bender in the world and had seen her fair share of conflicts, nothing could have prepared her for the Red Lotus. She shuddered to think about what Korra now faced without anyone to protect her, and would have continued stewing over her worst fears had the sensation of someone running towards her not interrupted her thoughts.

"Mama!"

Lin looked up to see her daughter running towards her, her hair streaming behind her. The girl slid to her knees and threw herself into her mother's arms, knocking them both down. As they fell Lin threw a hand out to steady herself, and found Tenzin, Suyin, and the rest of Team Avatar headed towards them.

"Mama," Chen murmured, her arms tightening around Lin's neck.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh," Lin soothed, her hand rubbing calming circles on Chen's back, "I'm okay, my love. I'm right here." The police chief sat them up and brought the girl close to her chest, her own tears soaking the girl's hair as she pressed kisses to Chen's forehead. After what seemed like a lifetime, the police chief gently pulled away from her daughter and bent off the girl's armor. There were some scrapes, bruises, and-much to Lin's consternation-a couple burns along her arms. "Sakura, what happened?" Lin questioned, anxiety rising in her voice.

"I was playing with the kids in the basement when the walls started to melt away. I pulled Ikki away, but my arm got too close to the heat and I got burned," Chen replied, trying to soothe her mother. "I'm okay Mama, I promise."

The police chief touched her fingers to the ground. Though her daughter's respiration was level, her heartbeat was slightly raised. _She's lying_. "Chen, my love, you don't have to be brave," she said, gently cupping the girl's face. Chen only turned away from her. Sighing, Lin took her daughter's hand. "Why don't you go see Kya? It would make me feel a lot better if she could look over those burns. They don't seem deep, so with a bit of healing you'll be right as rain in no time."

"I couldn't Mama, Aunt Kya's in the sick ward tending to those who actually got hurt," Chen said. Lin sighed. Her daughter was not the type to ask for help even if she needed it; that trait was only magnified when there were others who required help more urgently than she did. "But if it would make you feel better, I could ask Korra to take a look."

Lin froze.

Chen saw her mother's reaction and stiffened up immediately. "Mama, what's wrong?" she asked. "Is Korra okay?"

Lin stayed silent. She felt her daughter's breath hitch as she gave her mother a hug. After a few moments, she released Chen and stood up upon seeing the group assembled before her.

"Is everything alright?" Tenzin asked, worry evident. "I saw Chen stiffen and-"

"Depends on what you consider 'fine,'" Lin replied, cutting Tenzin off. "The Red Lotus have promised to leave us and the rest of the new Air Nomads alone permanently."

Tenzin sagged in relief. His nation was blessedly, blessedly safe. But what did Lin mean when she asked what he considered fine…?

Wait, where was Korra?

"Lin, where's Korra?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level.

The police chief lowered her eyes and crossed her arms. "Korra saved us and the new Air Nomads by giving herself up to the Red Lotus," she stated, her voice dangerously emotionless.

Team Avatar and Suyin gasped. Tenzin reddened. "You let her do WHAT?" he screeched as he stalked towards the two Beifongs.

"Do you think I like it any better?" Lin snarled. "I would have done _anything_ to have prevented her from leaving, but she was adamant that it was the only way to save everyone from being killed!"

"Oh sure, let's just _sacrifice the Avatar!_ " Tenzin shrieked, the vein in his forehead pulsing. Chen tensed and subtly dropped into an earthbending position.

"Tenzin, there was a lavabender not five minutes away from destroying the entire temple when Korra gave herself up. What would you have rather had her do?"

" _Anything_ but this!" Tenzin growled in response, his fists clenching. She had a point-she always did-but he wasn't going to give in. Lin's scowl turned into shock as Chen encased his legs in rock and bent him away from her mother. As Suyin walked towards her sister she bent the knives in her gauntlets towards his arms, pinning him to the ground.

" _Enough!"_ Suyin hissed. "As much as you want to kill my sister, we really can't have that right now!" Suyin massaged her temples and faced the group. "Look, we've all been through a lot today. Half the temple is destroyed, we almost got disintegrated by lava, and now the Avatar's a hostage of the world's most dangerous terrorist cell. We need to take a step back and just process what happened."

Tenzin balked from where he was held. "Just process?!" He sputtered.

"Yes, just process. Come on Baldy, you're an Airbending master, surely you can appreciate that," Suyin replied dryly, bending the knives holding Tenzin down back into her gauntlets. The air bender sat up and massaged his wrists, glowering at the younger Beifong sister all the while. Suyin smirked and then grew serious. "Look, we can try and plan tonight but it makes no sense to do so considering that my Metal Clan Guard will be arriving tomorrow."

The airbending master only harrumphed and crossed his arms. Lin, Suyin, and Chen all rolled their eyes.

"You all are free to do whatever. In the meantime I'll be attempting to put the walls and ceilings back together—I'd like these buildings to be in somewhat stable condition when they arrive." With that Suyin turned and began reconstructing the stone walls, the other earthbenders soon joining in.

* * *

By the time Kuvira arrived the next day, the temple was in decent condition. The only thing that had tipped the head of the Metal Clan Guard off, in fact, were the jagged lines showing where the rock had been hit by the combustionbender. With the chief of the Southern Water Tribe by her side, the Metalbender steeled herself as they led her guards down the airship's walkway. Whatever had happened, it probably had driven off all of the temple's citizens. She was most likely too late to help. Then she felt it: thankfully familiar heartbeats.

"Kuvira!"

The head of the Metal Clan guard turned to find her foster mother waiting for her and flanked by her daughter Opal and her sister Lin. The Zaofu matriarch seemed anxious and buzzing with nervous energy, but she was in good condition. Suyin reached out and gave Kuvira a deceptively bonecrushing hug.

"I'm so happy to see you," Suyin whispered before letting her go, lightly caressing the head guard's cheek. Her foster mother was incredibly maternal in a way that Kuvira didn't quite understand—what exactly had motivated the Zaofu matriarch to take her, a scrawny eight year old abandoned by her parents, in as one of her own? That being said, Kuvira never felt that she was truly Suyin's second daughter, nor could she fully explain why. Maybe it was because of her past, maybe it was because her personality was so drastically different than the Zaofu Beifongs. Either way, it was probably for the better that she didn't consider herself family. She was the girlfriend of her eldest foster brother, and she didn't anticipate that relationship dissolving anytime soon.

Opal beamed and threw her arms around Kuvira. "Kuvira, it's so good to see you!" The guard, startled, reeled backwards but returned the hug with just as much force. Though she would never admit it, she had always had a soft spot for Suyin's only daughter. After she had joined the family, two-year-old Opal would follow her everywhere, and wouldn't leave her alone unless she read her stories or fingerpainted with her. With her father's kindness and her mother's single-minded focus, Opal had truly inherited the best from both her parents. Kuvira had no doubt that she would soon become an airbending master.

Lin politely cleared her throat. "As much as I would love for this family reunion to continue, the others are waiting for us in the pagoda." Suyin, Opal, and Kuvira nodded and took their leave, with her sister fretting over the bags under her foster daughter's eyes. Tonraq moved to follow when Lin laid a hand on his shoulder. "Chief Tonraq, before you go in I need to talk to you."

The man nodded, a small smile on his lips. "Chief Beifong, just because my title changed doesn't mean I have. I would much prefer it if you just called me Tonraq. What would you like to talk about? Do you need help convincing my daughter about something? At this point we both know how stubborn Korra can be."

"That's the thing, Tonraq-Korra isn't here. She gave herself up to the Red Lotus yesterday in exchange for the safety of the new Air Nomads." Lin held a hand up to her temples, willing her tears not to flow. "I'm so so sorry Tonraq," she shakily said, turning away from him. "I've failed us all."

"You haven't failed us Chief," Tonraq soothed, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You haven't failed us in the slightest."

Lin blinked, stunned by Tonraq's reaction. "What?"

The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe motioned for Lin to join him as he walked through the hastily reconstructed hallways. "You took a leave of absence from ensuring Republic City's safety to watch over my only daughter, the Avatar. For these past few months you have protected Korra as if she were your own, and would still be doing so if she hadn't given herself up yesterday. I know that had to have been Korra's idea, and, for the record, I would have done the same thing in her shoes. We have to trust her decision, Chief Beifong, no matter how foolish it may seem." With that they proceeded silently down the hallway to the pagoda.

The atmosphere was humming with anxiety and tension. Mako and Asami were brooding, Bolin was nervously cracking jokes to lighten the mood much to Bumi's delight and Tenzin's chagrin, and Suyin and Kuvira were hunched over a map crossly debating strategies. The only two involved who seemed oblivious to the stress were Chen and Jinora. Seated right by Tenzin, they were quietly discussing some topic that, judging by their small smiles, was agreeable to them both. Chen, much to Lin's relief, had indeed followed her mother's advice to see Kya; her arms were thankfully burn-free, and most of her scrapes and bruises had been healed as well. Upon seeing Chief Beifong and Chief Tonraq, everyone assembled rose, bowed, and stayed standing until the two had taken their seats. Tenzin cleared his throat to begin.

"Hello everyone, it is good to see you all today-though I admit I wish it was under better circumstances. Today we gather here to discuss our most pressing issues: how to find Korra, and how to take down the Red Lotus. I welcome everyone to contribute, especially our honored guests Captain Kuvira of the Metal Clan of Zaofu, and Chief Tonraq of the Southern Water Tribe."

"Master Tenzin, I have an idea!" Bolin eagerly volunteered. "Why don't Asami, Mako, and I take Naga and scout out where Korra's located?"

"Naga's a great tracker sir, only a shirshu is better," Mako corroborated. "And if we run into trouble, I'll send Naga back for help while Asami, Bolin and I hold them off."

"No, absolutely not," Tenzin said, furiously shaking his head. "There's no way I'm letting you all that close to a terrorist cell without backup."

"But sir, we can't bring backup, we'll be too conspicuous!"

"That's not an option, Mako," Lin said, sternly staring down the firebender. "You and your brother might be talented benders, and Asami might be able to take down multiple men in one fell swoop thanks to that electric glove of hers, but you all are no match for the Red Lotus."

Chen nervously raised her hand to speak. Kuvira scrutinized the girl closely. She was young, incredibly so; she was much closer in age to that airbender child than to Bolin or Wei and Wing. The guard's gaze flitted between the girl and Chief Beifong, who was seated next to the girl and carefully watching her. She gave Suyin a knowing smile, which was likewise returned.

Kuvira had to give her foster mother credit for not screaming about her niece from the highest hilltops of Zaofu. There would have been a parade at this point if the girl was accomplished enough to earn a place at a top-level strategy meeting. Probably a day in her honor too.

"I have a question, sir," Chen said hesitantly. Tenzin smiled and gestured for the girl to continue. "Since Korra was taken away by airship, would it be possible to track her movement using air currents? Earthbenders use seismic sense to track people over land, is it possible to do the same with air?"

Everyone looked towards Tenzin, who was stroking his beard. "That could work, Chen," he replied, looking out thoughtfully into the distance. "But only if the airship Korra's on is still in transit. Even then, I'm not sure how far my range would last. The air currents by the temple are contained within the mountains. The minute they leave this area, I won't be able to track them."

"Actually little brother, I think I can do you one better," Bumi drawled, his feet kicked up on the antique table. Suyin resisted the urge to laugh at the vein pulsing in Tenzin's forehead as Kuvira leaned closer, eager to listen to the famed Commander's ideas. "What if we have young Jinora here work her spirit-y magic? Y'know, use her projections and all that advanced airbender stuff?"

"Jinora, is that still possible?" Tenzin asked, facing his daughter.

"It is," the girl confirmed. "Though it's not as strong as it was at Harmonic Convergence. If I try and focus on Korra's energy, I might be able to find her." With that she pushed back from the table and arranged herself into a meditative pose, her fists together and her breathing barely there. After 10 agonizingly slow minutes she opened her eyes, beamed, and pulled herself back to the table. "It worked! I was able to find Korra!"

Everyone exhaled, relief evident on their faces. "Good job kid," Bumi said, flashing his niece a wide grin.

"Tell us Jinora!" Bolin said excitedly. "Where's Korra?"

"She's in some caves not too far from here. It won't take us that long to get her," the girl replied, her smile fading, "There is just one problem though."

Tenzin looked to his daughter worriedly. "What do you mean?"

"The caves are by Laghima's Peak, which is currently being guarded by a combustionbender," Jinora reported. Lin and Asami groaned. Laghima's Peak was only 20 minutes away, but if P'Li was on guard duty there'd be no way to get past her and to Korra. Tenzin's face darkened and became unreadable; it was a look Lin knew all too well from her youth.

"So what do we do, Master Tenzin sir?" Mako asked.

"I say we take of of my airships, make our approach from the west, drop down from the ship on cables and ambush these Red Lotus low-lifes before they know what hit them!" Suyin declared, banging her fist on the table for emphasis.

Lin crossed her arms in response. "That would never work, the combustion lady would pick us off one by one."

Suyin raised an eyebrow. "You have a better idea of how to save Korra?"

"Yeah, I do," her sister retorted. "We come up from the valley, scale the side of the mountain and take them off guard."

Tonraq nodded. "That could work."

The younger Beifong sister scoffed. "And give them the high ground? No, if their lavabender spots us, he'll melt the mountainside and us with it!"

"Not unless you have Bolin," Asami said, still focused on her notes. She looked up to find everyone staring at her confusedly. "Seriously, you all have forgotten? Bo can lavabend now. Take him with you to Laghima's Peak, and he'll be able to stop the lava from reaching the metalbenders."

Suyin's eyes brightened. "Of course! Asami, that's perfect!"

"Whaaat?" Bolin said, eyes widening and voice rising octaves. "Are-are you sure about this? I've only done lavabending once, and even then it was only to freeze just a small part of the basement, I don't really know if I can freeze an _entire mountainside_ -I mean, I can try, but-"

"Bolin, it's okay," Jinora said sweetly. "Besides, it's not like he's even at Laghima's peak. The only person I saw there was the combustionbender, everyone else was in the caves with Korra."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Everyone else? Everyone else like who, exactly?"

Jinora looked up, tallying how many people she remembered. "There was a man with a shaved head, another, taller man with a handlebar mustache, a woman who used water whips for arms, and two men in what looked like White Lotus uniforms, but in black."

Whispers broke out amongst the members of the meeting as the police chief shook her head. _Oh good, there's more members of this terrorist cell. How many are out there that have yet to be found?_

Kuvira cleared her throat. "If I may, I might have a solution." Once everyone was focused on her, she continued to speak. "Why don't we take the most agile metalbenders and scale the side of Laghima's Peak? It would be perfect-we have the home advantage of our element, and the numbers behind us as well. We'd scale up the side of the mountain, contain her in metal cables, and then get Korra back."

"You're not taking just metalbenders," Tonraq said, crossing his arms. "Give me two or three water skins, and I can bend water hooks that hang with you metalbenders."

The Beifong sisters and Tenzin nodded. They absolutely should include Tonraq; not only was he the father of the Avatar, but he was a waterbending master in his own right as well. Plus, having two elements was only to their advantage.

"I want to join you!"

Lin swiveled around to find Chen on the edge of her seat, waiting for Kuvira's approval. She and Tenzin shot each other a death glare. _You better not let her join this suicide mission_.

Kuvira simply leaned back and smiled. "Show me what you've got, kid."

Chen mischievously grinned and bent the knives from Suyin's gauntlet towards her with the flick of her wrist. Turning and drawing her hand away ever so slightly, she flattened the blades until they were flat as a sheet. From there she began braiding three different strands which were then incorporated into one larger braid, her fingers moving in tandem with the metal strands. With the slightest push of her hands she delicately placed the new diadem on her aunt's head.

The room went completely silent; the Beifongs were renowned for their metalbending skills, but even then no one had ever seen such fine control over metal. Even Lin found herself shocked. She had overseen every aspect of her daughter's training, had even taught her how to metalbend the strings of her guzheng, but she had completely underestimated how advanced Chen's fine motor control was over metal. Kuvira simply nodded her approval. "You've got talent, kid. But can you change it back to what it once was?"

"Of course she can, but if we're being honest I'd rather she not," Suyin replied, examining her niece's stellar craftsmanship. "Thank you Chen, it's absolutely stunning."

"Stunning or not, Chen will not be joining you on your mission," Tenzin said firmly. "She is needed here at the Air Temple."

Though she didn't show it, Kuvira was shocked. Chen had the finest control over metal she had ever seen in her life, and the airbending master wanted to ground her when her skills would be so desperately useful? She turned to face Suyin and found her face surprisingly neutral. _What does she know that I don't?_

"I echo Tenzin's sentiment," Lin said crisply. Chen simply bowed her head in response. "There is no way Chen will be joining you nor the rest of the Metal Clan guard on your mission."

Kuvira simply stared at the police chief. "If I may ask, why not? Chen is a metalbending _master_ , her skills would be invaluable!"

Lin's mouth set into a hard line as Tenzin crossed his arms. " _Our_ daughter is only 13. There is no way we're letting her get anywhere near a terrorist cell." He swivelled to face his airbending daughter. "That goes for you too, Jinora." The girl balked and was about to protest but decided against it after seeing the fury in her father's face.

The police chief found it hard to conceal her surprise. _Our daughter? He's willingly acknowledging it, and Chen's fine with it? Only took him two days and breaking my heart for that to happen._

"I don't want to interrupt you all, but I have a question." The group swiveled to face Tonraq. "When are we going after the combustionbender?"

Suyin leaned back in thought. "If Lin and I were our mother it wouldn't matter what time of day we chose," she mused. "Though, knowing her, she would probably choose after nightfall for a sneak attack. However, since none of the Metal Clan Kuvira brought with her use seismic sense exclusively to see, we're going to need to strike during the day."

"What about midday?" Asami asked. "It's the brightest time of the day, plus it's when the wind currents are the strongest. The noise will be able to drown out the sound of the metalbenders climbing the side of the mountain-and if the currents become too violent, Tenzin could be nearby to bend them. Either way, by the time the combustionbender hears you, you all will already be launching your attacks to subdue her."

The Southern Water Tribe Chief nodded, then stood up. "So it's decided. Tomorrow at midday I along with a chosen group of metalbenders will ascend Laghima's peak to take down the combustionbender and save Korra. This meeting has been a pleasure, but I am going to retire to my room to rest for tomorrow. I'll see you all then." After bowing to the assembled group he walked off, clearing his mind in preparation for what was to come.

* * *

Lin was glad Kuvira had decided against a large group of metalbenders.

Climbing the side of Laghima's peak along with Suyin, Tonraq, Kuvira, and three of her most acrobatic Metal Clan guards, the Republic City Police Chief found it hard to coordinate the group's movements amidst the turbulent winds. Though Tenzin was on a nearby peak (with Bolin accompanying him just in case) and trying to alleviate the worst of the air currents, it was difficult to do so without giving themselves away. With one last pull of their cords, the group landed quietly at the top of the peak. Suyin flashed a smile at her older sister. Maybe they would be able to quickly subdue the combustionbender after all.

Suyin, however, thought too soon.

The combustionbender swiveled and sent a blast towards the group. Only Lin's fast reflexes had saved her; using her metal cords to vault over the explosion, she watched helplessly as Tonraq, Suyin, and Suyin's guards were thrown over the side of the mountain. Touching down, she scanned the mountainside; thankfully, everyone had grabbed ahold of the side of the mountain and was climbing back up. Dodging another explosion, she dropped into an offensive position and spun an earth slab towards the combustionbender that was easily dodged. Lin moved to create another earth slab and saw one already being lobbed towards P'Li's head. She turned and flashed a smile.

Leave it to Suyin to come in at the right moment.

The sisters fought together as the combustionbender once again knocked over the Tonraq and the other guards with her explosions. It only took two attacks before the Beifongs were on their own facing P'Li. Sending a flurry of boulders towards the combustionbender as they retreated, they hid behind an overhang as P'Li in turn sent a barrage of explosions their way.

"We're pinned down!" Suyin exclaimed as she narrowly dodged another explosion.

Lin snuck a look around the corner. Feeling the heat of another combustion headed their way, she protectively crouched over her little sister as splintered rock flew by their heads. The police chief looked down at her little sister, who despite being the matriarch of the autonomous state she herself founded still looked like the six-year-old Lin would comfort after every nightmare. Spirits, she wished that she hadn't waited so long to reestablish contact with Suyin, much less introduce her to her only niece. They should have had more time together.

But that was then, and this was now. And if she didn't act, there wouldn't be a later.

Quickly she grasped her sister's shoulder. "Su, can you promise me something?"

Suyin nodded, crouching down further as another explosion rang out. "Anything!"

"Will you take care of Chen for me when I'm gone? I know Tenzin is her father, and that she's grown up in Republic City, but I also know he is not what she needs. She needs metal, and earth, and _you_ , Su. Zaofu is where she will be happiest. Promise me, Su, that you'll take care of her and love her as if she were your own when I go!"

Her younger sister froze. "Lin, what are you talking about?!"

Lin raised another wall of rock as the explosions became more forceful. "I'm going to draw her fire, so you can take her out."

Suyin, eyes wide, gasped. "Lin, no!"

"Su, it's the only way!"

"No, it's not, there has to be another way!" Su replied frantically, tears filling her eyes. "There's always another way!"

"No, there's not," Lin said, pushing another rock towards the combustionbender that was promptly pulverized. Sorrow in her chest, she pulled Suyin close for a hug and rubbed circles on her back. After a few moments, she pressed a kiss to her sister's forehead and pulled away. "I love you, Su." Not looking back, she jumped out from behind the overhang and began jumping up the craggy face of Laghima's peak. "Come and get me, you third-eyed freak!" She shrieked.

Baring her teeth, P'Li focused combustion beams towards the agile metalbender. Lin easily blocked the attacks with earth slabs, and constructed an earth wall in preparation for sending earth darts towards her nemesis. Just as she prepared to attack, she found herself thrown backwards by a blast. Unable to regain her footing, the police chief found herself being tossed towards the edge of the mountain. Pain rolling through her ribcage and back, she slowly steadied herself as she faced a snickering P'Li.

 _So this is it. Spirits, I hope Chen knows how much I love her._

Baring her teeth, P'Li advanced on Lin Beifong as she prepared to permanently end the police chief's life. Lin snarled at the combustionbender as she faced death head-on. She felt heat and-wind? Slowly, she sat herself up. Suyin was standing up, chest heaving. With a start Lin realized that her sister was missing her trademark breastplate, and followed her sister's focus to find it wrapped around the head of their nemesis.

She was alive. _They_ were alive.

Suyin ran to her sister and slid to her knees, tears flowing down her cheeks as she hugged her older sister. Pulling away, Lin lightly caressed her sister's cheek. "Thank you," Lin said, her voice thick with emotion.

"You don't need to thank me," Su replied, smiling through her tears. "We're family. Protecting each other is just what we do. And in all seriousness, there was no way in this world or that of the Spirits that I was going to leave here without you and face the wrath of your precious baby. Chen needs you, Lin...and as much as I hate to admit it, I need you too."

Nodding, Lin pulled Suyin into another hug, thankful for her sister now more than ever.

* * *

He should have kidnapped that little airbender girl when he was at the air temple. Not that it would have mattered, of course. She would have led them to their location anyways.

He knew their cover was blown the minute he felt the energy in the caves change. Turning to meditate, he saw just the slightest flash of purple by his unconscious hostage. By the time he focused on Korra, the flash was gone. Only the Avatar was left, drugged into sleep by whatever Northern Water Tribe concoction Ming-Hua had mixed up. And now look: P'Li was being attacked by metalbenders on top of Laghima's Peak. Ghazan looked up from where he had secured the Avatar's chains and called to Zaheer. "Do you think the attackers are going to ruin our plans today?"

"With P'Li on lookout, I doubt it," Zaheer laconically replied. "Keep working on the chains. And Ming-Hua, keep making that sleeping poultice. We can't have the Avatar waking up, not yet at least."

The waterbender nodded and continued grinding the mixture before her. If she kept administering a mixture of this strength to the Avatar, the kid wouldn't wake up until next year at the earliest. Just as she was applying the latest dosage, she felt an explosion reverberate throughout the caves. "What was that?"

Ghazan double-checked the unconscious Avatar's chains before heading to the lip of the cave. "It's P'Li."

Zaheer smirked. "See, I told you all she would take care of the metalbenders."

The lavabender looked towards his leader, his eyes wide with shock. "No, Zaheer. It looks like the metalbenders took care of her."

The airbender's eyes widened as he gazed upon Laghima's Peak for himself. There was a large plume of smoke, some metalbenders carrying off their wounded...and no P'Li. Grief gripped his soul.

P'Li, the love of his life, was no more.

Quickly pulling himself together, he walked towards his meditation corner. "Let go of your earthly tether," he intoned. "Enter the void. Empty, and become wind." With every repeat, he felt himself getting lighter and lighter until he felt that he was flying. When he opened his eyes, Ghazan and Ming-Hua were staring at him slack-jawed. Zaheer looked down and found himself hovering 10 feet above the floor of the cave.

He had done it. He had let go of all his earthly tethers and entered the Void. Nothing could touch the Red Lotus now.

* * *

So what that she was 13? Grandma Toph was only twelve when she broke into and destroyed an entire fleet of Fire Nation airships on the day of Sozin's Comet. Now she was stuck here, virtually under house arrest by the Air Acolytes thanks to her parents' strict instructions. She flipped through an Air Nomad history book she had dug up when she heard a small knock at the door. Rolling her eyes, she opened the door to find Jinora waiting for her, sack lunches of vegetable dumplings and soup in tow. "Hey Chen," the girl chirped, dropping the bags on the desk as she used her airbending to shut the door behind her. "I figured you could use some company, especially since we're not allowed to go to the dining hall today."

Chen's eyes widened in shock as she reached for a dumpling. "We're not allowed to go the dining hall today? Why?"

"Our parents were worried that we would use the opening to go fly off and find Korra," Jinora said, shrugging as she drank her soup. "Not that that could happen, anyways. They've stationed Acolytes at the end of each hallway to catch us in case we decide to escape. We won't be able to move without them sensing it."

The eldest sister bit thoughtfully into another dumpling. "That's good right? I mean, how hard is it to sneak past a bunch of nonviolent Acolytes?"

Chen looked over to find her sister watching her, unsure of what to make of her statement. "You're kidding, right?" Jinora said, putting down her bowl of soup. "There's a reason my siblings and I have never once made it off the island-we're always under the watch of the Acolytes. And if they can keep Meelo island-bound, then they can keep us under lock and key."

The young metalbender groaned. "Seriously? Ugh, I almost wish we had the Metal Clan watching us instead, at least then we could sneak out quickly!"

Jinora giggled as she swallowed the last of her dumpling. She was about to say something when her countenance changed, anxiety crossing her features. Chen grasped her shoulder. "Jinora, what's wrong, is everything okay?"

Without replying, the airbender moved into a meditative pose, her fists together and breathing slow. Chen mirrored her position and watched over her, worried about her sister's journey. After a few minutes Jinora's breathing became labored, and she snapped back into the physical world. "Oh we're in trouble, Chen," the girl said, eyes wide.

"Why? What's going on?"

The airbender saw the history book on Chen's desk and grabbed it. "As part of my training Dad instructed me on all the old Air Nomad myths," she said, furiously flipping through the book. "Including this one. Guru Laghima, an airbending master and noted poet who lived 4,000 years before the genocide of the original Air Nomads."

Chen knit her brows confusedly. "So? Why is this one old airbending guy so important?"

Jinora shot her sister an admonishing glance. "Guru Laghima is important because he was the only person ever to achieve the power of flight. He never touched the ground once during the last forty years of his life."

"That's interesting, but why-wait, did you just say 'was?' He _was_ the only person ever? Has someone else unlocked the secret of flight?"

The airbender girl nodded furiously. "Yes! Zaheer, the person in charge of keeping Korra a hostage, has learned how to fly!"

Chen's eyes widened. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know," Jinora replied, shaking her head. "All the writings say is that you have to lose your earthly tethers to enter the void, whatever that means."

"What it means is that we have to get out of here Jinora!" Chen exclaimed, bending her metalbending suit back on.

"Chen, what are you doing?" Jinora whisper-shouted. "The Air Acolytes are outside, they're going to find you and make it even more difficult for you to escape!"

Quickly the Beifong daughter tapped her floor to the ground and mapped out the dormitory. "How many Air Acolytes did they say would be guarding us?"

"At least five per floor, why?"

Lifting her foot off the ground, Chen faced her sister. "They lied to you. There's only two acolytes on each floor, one at the end of the hall and one by the staircase-either way, they're all stationed in the direction of the dining hall. All we have to do run the other direction, and we'll be in the clear!"

"Are you crazy?" Jinora asked. "Even if the Air Acolytes don't catch us, the Metal Clan will!"

Chen simply smirked. "Trust me, you don't need to worry about that. All you need to do is run, and blow into your air bison whistle when I tell you to. Ready?"

Jinora nervously nodded.

"One, two, threeeee—GO!"

Jinora blew down the door and led Chen down the unguarded section and away from the dining room. "You better know what you're doing," the girl said, careening around the corner on an air-scooter as Chen hop-skipped trying to catch up.

"Look, everything's going to be alright," Chen panted as she continued to hop-skip. "We haven't even seen anyone yet!"

Just as Chen finished her sentence the two girls crashed into an unsuspecting acolyte. After using airbending to cushion their falls, Jinora looked up and gasped. Of all the Air Acolytes they could have run into, it had to be Acolyte Nima. Tall, thin, and with a silencing gaze, the Acolyte was favored as a babysitter by Tenzin for her strict, no-nonsense attitude. "Leaving your rooms, I see?" she said curtly, glaring at the girls as she picked up her papers. "I don't know why, considering your parents specifically told us you were not to leave your dormitory hallway."

Jinora flashed what she hoped was a winning smile. She had never been in trouble, at least not like Ikki and Meelo; maybe that would give them some leeway? "I was going to show Chen the library!" she chirruped. "She finished the books she brought with her, so I was going to help her choose new ones!"

"Uh-huh," Nima replied disbelievingly, turning her focus to Chen. "And you decided you needed your metalbending uniform for this excursion why?"

Chen nervously grinned. "Force of habit, ma'am. You never know what will happen!"

Nima put her hands on her hips. "Give me one good reason not to drag you two back to your rooms."

"Because it wouldn't be worth it?" Jinora responded, her voice rising with each word.

Swiftly the woman reached out to grab their collars. Chen quickly erected a stone wall, which gave Nima an uppercut to the chin, before extending it to the ceiling. "Help! Help!" she called in the distance. "The girls are escaping!"

The girls rushed towards the destroyed bagua circles, Jinora sending gusts of wind behind them to ward off others. Chen hop-skipped to catch up, but was then pulled up onto Jinora's air scooter as the girl was getting too slow to keep up. "No, put me down!" Chen said, trying to jump off from her airy perch.

"Calm down, it's just a bit of air," Jinora replied, blasting through the last part of the hallway. "Besides, don't you want to be undetectable? That weird hop-skip you keep doing isn't exactly subtle."

"That hop-skip is what's keeping me undetectable," Chen retorted. "It doesn't look pretty, but cancels out my vibrations. If the Metal Clan were to use seismic sensing, they wouldn't be able to sense my heartbeat or my movement!"

"That's so cool!" Jinora grinned, zooming them both towards the farthest air bison stables. Thank the Spirits the stables were somewhat isolated; the chances of another Acolyte encounter would be slim to none. Unless…

"Oh no," Chen breathed. "Is that Auntie Kya?"

Sure enough, the waterbending master was playing with the baby air bison while she was taking a much-needed break from her healing sessions with the injured airbenders and acolytes. Startled, she backpedaled from the bison as the girls tumbled off Jinora's air scooter.

"Auntie Kya!" Jinora exclaimed, grinning widely in an attempt to hide her nervousness, "How are you? It's so good to see you! I was just going to show Chen the baby air bison!"

Kya raised an eyebrow and looked back to the flock of baby air bison. "Well, here they are."

"Yes, here they are Chen!"

"Wow, they're so small!" the earthbender exclaimed. "Thank you for showing them to me, Jinora!"

"Anytime, Chen!" The two girls stood awkwardly as Kya watched them cooly. The two sisters hadn't know each other very long but damn if they didn't remind her of her and Bumi when they were their age. That could only mean one thing: they were up to something. Jinora rocked back and forth on her feet as Chen returned her aunt's gaze, her face neutral.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing," Kya said, enunciating every word, "You better not do it."

"What? Us, doing something?" Jinora laughed nervously. "We're not doing anything. We're just here to watch the baby bison."

"I can see that," Kya said. Facing Chen, she narrowed her eyes. "And I guess you want to see them too, earthbending niece?"

Chen simply shrugged. "I'm Air Nomad through my dad. I might as well start learning about some customs."

"Those customs don't include sneaking out against your parents' wishes," Kya said flatly, her patience wearing thin.

"Really? Are you sure about that?" Chen asked, crossing her arms. "Because if I recall correctly, you, Uncle Bumi, and Mom snuck out quite a few times. Didn't you all make it to Ember Island once before Fire Lord Zuko caught you and returned you home in the prison hold of an Imperial Class Fire Nation Battleship?"

The waterbender put her hands on her hips. Shit, her niece was more like Lin than she had thought. "Alright kid, I see you. But trust me, you don't want to try me."

"Oh really?" Chen said, her eyes blazing. "Or what?"

"Or THIS!" Kya drew water from the air bisons' water troughs into her hands, forming a ring of water around herself.

Chen scoffed as Jinora flipped backwards and onto an air scooter. "That's it? A water ring?"

Kya smirked as she sent ice shards towards the girls. Chen easily dodged them as Jinora flew above her aunt's head and towards her air bison. Just as Jinora caught sight of Pepper's stable, she felt herself being grabbed by the waist and violently jerked back. Soon she was face-to-face with her aunt, who was holding her by a water whip. "Resourceful, Jinora, but no."

Seeing room for an opening, Chen quickly lashed out using a metal cable and knocked her aunt off her feet. Startled, Kya quickly dropped Jinora, who used an air scooter to speed away from her aunt's water supply. "Excellent teamwork, well done!" Kya said, grinning wildly. "If only you weren't an airbender Jinora, you two plus a firebender would make a great pro-bending team!" The airbender reached the next-to-last stable building before she found herself soaked in water, frozen, and dragged back to her aunt. "Impressive attempt, really, but this escape just isn't going to happen."

Chen slashed Jinora free from her ice block. "Do you think this is some kind of game? We have something important to take care of here!"

Kya smirked. "Important like what? Sneaking out to race air bisons with Kai? You're smooth Jinora, but you're not that smooth." The airbender blushed. She thought she had kept her crush hidden; is anything really hidden, though, when your aunt can read auras? "And to answer your question, this isn't really a game since you'll both be frozen in twin blocks of ice in five minutes. Besides, can't hurt to teach you all how to actually fight. You can give your parents a heart attack when you try and sneak out, not me."

Using her cords to propel herself on top of the nearest stable, she deftly avoided avoided her aunt's water drill, using her hands to twirl herself away from the impending water missile before launching herself to the next building. "Where on earth did you learn that move?" Kya asked, drawing more water closer to her arms. Jinora winced; she had only seen her aunt use that much water once, and it had ended with Uncle Bumi in the hospital.

The earthbender grinned as she spun around her aunt's increasingly sharp ice shards. "I got it from my mama!"

Kya couldn't resist the urge to grin. "Oh yeah? Well I got this from mine!"

Drawing up the water, she created a water octopus and began using the arms to freeze the tops of the stables. Chen hissed; this was going to be a lot more difficult now. "Jinora!" she cried out, flipping onto the rain gutter as the roof became encased in ice. "Which one is yours?"

"That one!" Chen took one look and hissed. She was on top of Stable Two, but her sister was pointing to the last stall in Stable Five. Crouching down, she threw herself into the air and twisted away from her aunt's water gimbal before landing with a thud on Stable Three's roof. The metalbender laid there, trying desperately to catch her breath. Lifting her head ever so slightly, she saw the freckled nose of Jinora's air bison. All I need is one good jump.

Sliding to the far edge of the roof, she stood up and sprinted towards Stable Five. Using the metal rain gutter as a propeller, she found herself flying over her intended target. Panicked, she used her metal cables to lash out at whatever she could before she found her arm encased with ice. Using her uniform's dagger to cut herself free, she flipped away from her aunt and landed on top of a rock wall. Teetering, she her stomach lurched as she looked over the edge. The rock ledge she was balancing on was the only protection against a steep drop to the canyon below. "Chen, what are you doing?" Kya yelled, water encasing her arms. Jinora was behind her, eyes wide as she watched from the ice block her aunt had trapped her in. With a start, the metalbender realized that Kya had turned the entire area around the stables into a slick ice rink. "Chen Beifong, get back here!" the waterbender yelled, panic seeping into her voice. Breathing heavily, she reached up to read where her sister and aunt were located.

Chen groaned exaggeratedly. "Do I really have to?"

Kya's eye twitched. _Are you actually kidding me? Oh is Lin in for a WORLD of trouble when Chen grows up._ Quickly she unfroze the ground and the water from Jinora's ice block as she drew water into water whips. "Yeah, you do!"

The metalbender shrugged. "If you say so." Doing a flip off the wall, she landed on the newly unfrozen land outside the stables and slid forward on an earth wave, dragging mud behind her. Before Kya could refreeze the land Chen jumped off the earth wave, moved Jinora behind her, and earthbent the mud towards her aunt. Kya looked down at her earth-gauntlet-covered hands, dumbfounded. _Did my 13-year-old niece just singlehandedly defeat me?_

"I'm not sure if I'm more furious or proud that you kicked my ass, Chen," Kya said as she looked approvingly over the earth gauntlets holding her wrists together.

Chen grinned mischievously. "I do have a spotless sparring record to maintain."

"Yeah, but you're still going to get it when your parents come home, though." Kya replied, wryly shaking her head. At that moment Jinora's air bison landed on top of the waterbender, slathering her in slobbery kisses. The girls used Pepper's arrival as an opening and scrambled on top of the air bison's head.

"Maybe so, Auntie Kya, but we'll deal with that when it comes up!" Jinora said, grabbing the reins. "Pepper, yip yip!"

Pepper gracefully lifted the girls off the ground and flew away from the stables. The girls watched as Aunt Kya became nothing more than a fading blue speck on the mountain. Once they were a safe distance away, the girls squealed, tightly hugging each other before settling into their places on the air bison's back.

They had made it. They were going to find Korra, and no one was going to tell them differently.


	12. Chapter 12

As usual, the only character I own is Chen! Also a million thanks to user J. H. L. Z. N. T. L. for being my beta reader, suggesting edits, and contributing to the dialogue! You're the best!

Also, a note: some of the dialogue was taken from the series itself! Definitely cannot take credit for it!

* * *

Asami had never really questioned the full extent of a healer's job description. She just figured that healers simply took care of bumps, bruises, and scrapes. Growing up on the estate, her father had hired a personal healer for her while she was taking her self-defense classes. She had never been significantly injured, even when she was learning how to use close-range weaponry; the worst injury she remember sustaining was a deep gash on her arm that, had her healer not been there, would have certainly required a trip to the hospital for stitches. To say that she was shocked at Kya's job was an understatement.

The Sato CEO had volunteered to help take care of the injured acolytes and airbenders while the mission to bring Korra back was underway. Kya was equal parts surprised and thrilled; few non-Water Tribe citizens were interested in the healing arts save for Earth Kingdom herbalists. Furthermore, Asami couldn't waterbend; did she really want to help if all she was able to do was change bandages and apply poultices? Asami assured the waterbender that she didn't mind at all; she truly wanted to help, even if it meant simply fluffing up pillows. Smiling gratefully, Kya walked with her to the infirmary and gently warned her that what she was about to face might be overwhelming. The young nonbender nodded seriously and followed the water bender, only to be faced with a full infirmary of acolytes with injuries ranging from burns and bone bruises to the more difficult-to-heal broken bones, torn ligaments, and concussions. For hours Kya darted around healing what she could and adjusting the treatment of those under her care, gently talking to her patients all the while so as to not rattle them. Now Asami understood why Kya was considered one of the best healers in the world; her skill combined with her bedside manner made her twice as effective.

Even so, the CEO could tell that it was taking a toll on the healer. Kya was beginning to lag, and her powerful healing sessions were taking longer to achieve the same results. After a few hours, Asami gently put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "Why don't you let me take over for a bit? Everyone's undergone a healing session, and everyone's stable at this point."

Kya fervently shook her head. "Absolutely not. I won't leave my patients."

"Maybe so, but when was the last time that you've had a proper meal? Or even been outside?" Asami asked.

The waterbender rolled her eyes. Sure, she hadn't really left the infirmary since the combustionbender destroyed half the temple, but she was one of only three healers at the temple and by far the most powerful. She trusted the other healers, they were competent enough, but she was her mother's daughter. She wouldn't leave unless everyone was healed or she was forcibly dragged out, or both.

"Kya, what your patients need is a healer who's working at her peak. At the rate you're going, you're going to run yourself ragged," Asami sighed. "Let me and the other healers take over, if only for an hour."

Kya eyed the girl suspiciously. "I'll rest when I'm dead."

"Which will be soon unless you take a break," Asami replied pointedly. "Look, you can either leave of your own volition or I can call Bumi up here and have him drag you out. Which do you prefer?"

"Fine, fine," the waterbender said, throwing her hands up in defeat. "I'll go. I'll be back in an hour, but if you need me sooner I'll be in my room."

"Of course," the CEO replied, giving the waterbender a quick hug before she left. An hour passed uneventfully, then two, then three. Around the fourth hour, she became restless; it wasn't like Kya to disappear for so long without advance notice. Excusing herself, Asami walked down to the women's dormitory only to find a large earthen wall separating the highest floor from the library and infirmary. "Hmmm, that's odd," she murmured to herself.

"Hey, Asami, how's it-woah, when did that get there?" Mako said, barely stopping himself from running into the earthen wall.

"That's what I was just wondering," Asami replied. "So you know nothing about this?"

"No, I've been babysitting Ikki and Meelo while Pema leads the spirituality lectures," Mako replied. "Some other acolytes just took over so I could take a break, and I was going to do some research in the library when I ran into you. Why would this be here?"

"I don't know," Asami mused. "The girls are supposed to be on lockdown in their rooms today, but if this is meant to keep them in I'm not sure how effective it's going to be."

"Seriously? This wall is still here? Where is that Metal Clan when you need them? I swear, we need some more bending Acolytes."

The two teens spun around to find Kya covered in air bison slobber, her arms crossed.

"The Metal Clan's been conscripted by Bumi to help condition the new airbenders-I know, not my idea, but-Master Kya, are you okay?" Mako asked, confused as to how the lowkey healer came to be such a mess.

"I'm fine, Mako, just got a little extra loving from an air bison," Kya said, trying to shake off some of the slobber.

Asami raised an eyebrow. "Did that air bison also give you those earth manacles?"

The waterbender looked down and smirked. "I might have also taught my nieces the basics of fighting against a different element."

"How? Jinora and Chen have been in their rooms all day-Ikki's being talking about it all morning," Mako said, knitting his brows.

"Oh they're definitely not in their rooms. Chances are, they're not even around the temple anymore," Kya said cooly. "I don't know how they got past the acolytes-especially that Acolyte Nima, she's a mean one-but they took Jinora's air bison and left. Chen said they had something important to take care of-I'm thinking she's covering for Jinora so she and Kai can race air bison. Those two have been getting awfully close lately..."

"I don't understand, you just let your nieces take an air bison without a better explanation?" Asami said, gently massaging her temples.

Kya held up her earth manacles. "You think I let my nieces sneak out? Chen beat me singlehandedly, and it's not just because I'm running on five hours of sleep. She's a powerful earthbender, and if we're being honest I'm not sure if I should punish or reward her. I didn't go easy on her at all and she still got the upper hand. She's doing the Beifong name proud, that's for sure."

"Beifong-spirits, the Chief is going to kill me if she finds out that Chen's escaped!" Mako exclaimed, his eyes wide. "We have to go get her!"

"We?" Kya questioned. "No no, _I_ have a hot shower to take, some earth manacles to get removed, and an infirmary full of patients to look after. _You_ need to find the girls before Lin and Tenzin have our heads."

Mako watched the woman sashay off to the infirmary before facing Asami. "Man, I really wish we had a Satomobile right now."

Asami smirked. "I can think of something a little better."

* * *

Lin was thankful now more than ever that they had taken Tenzin with them.

Growing up as Aang's only airbending son, he had spent a significant amount of time at each Air Nomad temple. As such, he knew the geography around his homeland intimately. Had Lin only taken the earthbenders, they never would have found the serene valley where they were now. Filled with green grass and surrounded by tall trees, the location was perfect for staying hidden. The police chief was observing the area when she felt a slight tap on her shoulder.

"Just checking in, Chief," Kuvira said, a roll of linen in her hands. "Do you have anything that needs to be bandaged?"

"Not necessary, but thank you," Lin said brusquely.

"Don't listen to her, she's lying," Suyin said, sitting down by her sister. Lin rolled her eyes and bent off her metalbending armor, revealing a white tank top and brown pants. Suyin hid her worry as Kuvira quietly looked over her sister's multitudinous bruises. "Here Kuvira, take this," Suyin said, rummaging around her pockets before producing a small container. "It's bruise balm from the herbalist in Zaofu. It should tide us over until we see Kya for a healing session."

Kuvira silently nodded and began applying the balm to the police chief's bruises. Lin hissed at the contact. "Sorry, Chief," Kuvira said apologetically. "This is going to sting before it gets better."

Lin glared at her sister as the balm's stinging began to take full effect. _Spirits, what is in that ghastly concoction?_ Bracing herself, she touched her fingers to the ground and felt an air bison land. That's odd, she thought. _What's an air bison doing all the way out here? I thought Tenzin kept them close to the temple so they wouldn't be taken by poachers._ Furrowing her brow, she kept watch over the air bison's vibrations. No one had ridden it, it seemed; perhaps it was just grazing far from home? The stinging subsiding, Lin lifted her fingers from the ground and nodded to the Metal Clan Captain in thanks. She stood up to find Tenzin, who was deep in conversation with Chief Tonraq. "Tenzin, can I talk to you for a moment?"

The airbender nodded and bowed to the Southern Water Tribe chieftain before joining Lin. "Is everything alright?" He asked concernedly. "What happened to your arms?"

"Wha-oh, this? It's nothing, Tenzin. I sustained quite a few bruises from the battle on Laghima's Peak, so Captain Kuvira was kind enough to apply bruise balm and bandage me up before I go see Kya for a healing session," Lin explained matter-of-factly. "I'm alright."

"Thank the Spirits," Tenzin said softly. Lin couldn't help but smile in response. The two walked in silence for a few minutes before Tenzin cleared his throat to speak. "You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yes of course," Lin said rushedly. "How far are your air bison allowed to wander?"

The airbending master blinked confusedly. "They're given some room to roam, since they are active creatures. That being said, they do prefer to stick by the temples since they have a kinship with the Air Acolytes and now the new airbenders. Why do you ask?"

"Is it common for air bison to roam near here? I sensed one close to our location."

"No, not particularly. They only come this far if they're accompanied by either a member of my family or an Air Acolyte." Tenzin furrowed his brows before his eyes widened. "What if the Air Temple is in trouble?"

"Everyone at the Air Temple is fine, Dad. It's Korra you should be worried about."

The two swiveled around to find Jinora and Chen. The airbender girl was sitting calmly on an air scooter while Chen was firmly on the ground, absentmindedly tapping her feet to an odd rhythm. _Spirits, kid, you're going to wake up the badgermoles!_ Lin moved to tap out a calming vibration and realized the only vibrations immediately nearby were her and Tenzin's' heartbeats. The police chief squinted in confusion before everything snapped into place. Standing up straight, she faced her daughter. "When in the Spirit World did you learn how to conceal your heartbeat?" Tenzin's eyes widened. _That was even possible?_

Chen grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I saw you do it late at night once when I was eight. I was supposed to be asleep, but I forced myself to stay awake until you came home. I saw you walking strangely, and I thought it was odd until I touched my hand to the wall and realized what you were doing. You didn't slip once, which makes me believe you taught yourself so you could sneak out past Grandma. I'm sure it was useful, but there's one major difference: unlike Grandma, I can _see_ you."

Lin silently cursed herself. Sometimes she wished Chen wasn't so observant. Seeing her daughter's smug face, she rolled her eyes before pulling her daughter into a bonecrushing hug. "I'm so happy to see you," she murmured, tears flowing openly down her face.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Mama," Chen replied, her throat tightening. "I was so worried."

"Speaking of worried," Tenzin said, facing his two daughters, "What on earth brings you two here? We specifically told you both to stay inside your rooms. I even set up an Acolyte guard to ensure that you didn't budge!"

"Ah yes, because a bunch of nonviolent Air Acolytes are _so_ effective against a master and an almost-master," Chen said, rolling her eyes. Jinora resisted the urge to giggle as the vein in Tenzin's forehead bulged.

The group walked towards the Zaofu matriarch, who by this point had gathered everyone around and was going over strategy. The woman's mouth dropped open upon seeing her niece and ran towards her for a hug. "My darling," she whispered, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because Jinora has something important to share with all of you. Jinora, if you will?"

The airbender girl bowed to the group and then sat down by Bolin. "I'm here because I used my spiritual projection to check on Korra and found something very disturbing." Pensive, she looked to her father. "Zaheer can fly now."

Tenzin gasped. "What? How is that possible?"

Kuvira held up her hand. "I don't understand. You airbenders fly using gliders. How is this different?"

"We're not actually flying," Tenzin clarified, sitting next to his younger daughter. "When an airbender uses a glider, what they are doing is manipulating the air currents to allow them to fly. What Jinora is talking about is flight, true flight. There's only been one airbender in history who's achieved this feat-Guru Laghima, and he lived over 4,000 years ago. I always thought that his story was just a legend, but if Zaheer can fly then Guru Laghima's feat really did happen."

Suyin raised an eyebrow. "Looks like Zaheer has studied this guru extensively. Explains why he's chosen to hide Korra in Laghima's caves, which are around Laghima's Peak."

"Yes, I've been worrying about that too," Tenzin said, stroking his beard. "Guru Laghima was notable in that he advocated for the destruction of old thinking before new ideas can be accepted. Taken too far, and his writings could be interpreted as supportive of anarchy. Spirits, I hope Air Nomad ideology doesn't get twisted."

"Wouldn't be the first time this has happened," Lin noted. "Every nation has had their beliefs become unbalanced at some point. The Dai Li in the Earth Kingdom, for example, were created to protect the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se, but now they're a ruthless cadre of secret police known for terrifying the city's citizens. Unalaq wanted to reunite the Water Tribes with the spirits, and almost destroyed the world in the process. Fire Lord Sozin wanted to import Fire Nation wealth and knowledge to the world, and we all know how that unfolded. It only makes sense that Air Nomad ideology would become warped by extremists too."

The airbending master sighed. "If you say so." Standing up, he eyed the group. "As much as I would love to continue talking, we don't have much time to lose. Bolin, Tonraq, Suyin, and Lin, come with me. It's time we save Korra."

Those named nodded and moved to join Tenzin. Kuvira touched her foster mother's shoulder. "Take me with you."

"No, Kuvira, stay with the injured." Suyin ordered. Upon seeing the disappointment on her foster daughter's face, she scooped her into a hug. "I almost lost my sister today," she murmured. "I can't bear the thought of losing my daughter too."

"Please be careful," Kuvira softly replied. With a smile, her foster mother lightly caressed her cheek before departing with the others. Sighing, she walked away dejectedly, Chen watching from a distance.

* * *

How long had she been out?

She didn't remember much after giving herself up to Zaheer. She vaguely remembered walking up and into the airship. Everything after that was foggy, so she really had no idea why she was in a random cave. Straining to get a better look, she realized with a start that her hands and feet were bound by platinum chains. Based on the heat below her, there was a significant sea of lava. A sinister laugh shook her out of her reverie.

"Avatar Korra, it's good to see that you're finally awake," Zaheer said, grinning as he waved forward two accomplices carrying large bowls in their hands.

"Let me out of these!" Korra fumed, trying to throw herself out of her bindings. "You all are going to be dead the minute I'm free!"

The airbender chuckled sinisterly. "The only person who's going to be dead around here is you. Ming-hua, Ghazan, come forward! Today we are about to witness the dawn of a new day. If you will, guards?"

The guards set down their bowls and bent a thick, silvery substance towards the Avatar's arms and legs. Once it rested on her skin, Korra noted that it felt cold and heavy, as if someone had left the chief's Metalbending uniform on her. "Now!" Zaheer barked.

The guards made a fist, and Korra felt the substance sinking into her skin, into her bones. Korra screamed in agony. "What-what are you doing to me?" she panted, barely able to breathe.

"The poison we've just administered will force your body into the Avatar State. Unfortunately for you, it'll be for the last time."

"What?" Korra breathed. Was it just her, or was Zaheer starting to look like Amon?

"Oh yes. You see, in opening the spirit portals you have given this world the opportunity to be truly free. We don't need nations or rulers, we need to return to the world's natural balance-a balance that can only exist without you. The time of the Avatar is over, Korra. You will be the last Avatar."

"NO!" she screeched, her eyes switching between their natural color and the luminescent white of the Avatar State. _Let it be anything but this, PLEASE anything but this!_

Ming-hua turned her arms into ice picks and frowned. "Why isn't she staying in the Avatar State?"

"She's resisting," Zaheer replied. "Don't worry. She won't be able to carry on for much longer."

* * *

Kuvira kicked a pebble as she sat down on a grassy knoll overlooking the rest of the Metal Clan guards. She hated being left behind. Did Suyin not trust her? She had served Zaofu faithfully as the Captain of the Metal Clan Guard. Suyin had personally certified her earth- and metalbending mastery, so it wasn't based on lack of competency. What gives?

"You know Auntie Su loves you a lot, right? When she stayed with us, all she talked about was you and your bending and your dance performances-oh, and also your relationship with Junior. I think you two are really cute together," a girlish voice said nearby. "That's why she wouldn't let you go with her. She cares too much about you to let anything bad happen to you."

Startled, Kuvira swiveled around to find Chen sitting nearby. Shit, was I thinking out loud? Quickly the captain assumed a mask of neutrality and looked forward. "You shouldn't sneak up on people, kid. It's not considered polite."

"I know," the girl said, blushing.

The Metal Guard Captain waited for the youngest Beifong to move, and found much to her annoyance that she was set on staying with her. "Kid, why are you here?"

"I want you to teach me how to fight," Chen said matter-of-factly.

Kuvira narrowed her eyes. She must be joking, right? "Chen-or should I say _Master_ Chen-you know how to fight. Do you really expect me to believe that you gained mastery under Republic City's Chief of Police without knowing how to spar?"

The youngest Beifong nodded. "It's true that Mom taught me how to fight, but I do know one thing: you metalbend differently from her. And I want you to show me how."

Kuvira leaned forward, intrigued. She knew that Suyin's style of bending was different from the traditional form, but she figured it was because Toph had taught her her unique style; she never considered that her foster mother had developed an entirely different method. Had Chief Beifong done something similar? There was only one way to find out.

"The only way I can teach you is if you show me what you can do," the captain replied, leading Chen to an open field. "Stand over there. I'm going to fling some projectiles at you-some will be earth, and some will be metal. What I need you to do is dodge them. Ready?"

Chen nodded. Kuvira raised her hand and sent a flurry of small rocks towards her. She expected her to bend a slab of stone as a shield or even weave through the open spaces in the rocks, but instead the girl circled away and bypassed the rocks entirely. When she sent her bending knives towards the girl, Chen turned on her heel and spun away from the weapons. _Hmmm, so she doesn't dodge like Suyin. Does she fight like her?_

Kuvira bent her knives back into their holders. "Alright, so you can dodge. But now's the time to fight. You can use both earth and metal at the same time. Give it everything you've got."

Chen eagerly grinned and bowed deeply to her opponent. Swiftly she flung small earth projectiles towards Kuvira, who effortlessly dodged the projectiles, compressed them, and then sent a boulder towards her opponent. The youngest Beifong used her cables to jump over the boulder and close the gap between the two earthbenders. Grinning, Chen created an earthquake just powerful enough to knock the Metal Clan Captain off her feet. Kuvira laughed. "Really, kid? An earthquake?" Undaunted, the captain bent her throwing knives towards the teen. Chen, rather than face the knives head-on, twirled away from from the weapons and used the torque from her spin to launch the weapons back towards Kuvira with such a terrifying speed that only the captain's quick reflexes saved her from being injured by her own weaponry.

"Worried, yet, Captain?" Chen replied, a hint of taunting in her voice.

"Nope!" With a swing of her first Kuvira created a rock wall, which Chen flipped onto. Running at full speed, the teen threw herself off and twisted away from the captain, releasing her metal cables as she did so. With a sharp sting Kuvira found her arms bound by a thick metal cable. When Chen touched the ground she jerked on the cable, forcing Kuvira to her knees. Charging forward, the youngest Beifong threw her fists up, releasing the cable just as an earth tent was made. The captain struggled to bend but it was no use; her arms were trapped too tightly to move.

The captain was stunned. Did I really just get smoked by a kid of all people? "You can let me go now," she said, a hint of pride in her voice. Wordlessly, Chen released her from her tent. Massaging feeling back into her wrists, Kuvira smiled. "Small wonder you're a master—I've never seen anyone earthbend like that before."

"I could say the same of you," Chen said, her lips quirking into a smile. "The way you move and react to attacks reminds me of waterbending."

"Back in the days before Zaofu Suyin traveled all over the world, and that included a stint as a healer's assistant in the Northern Water Tribe. I guess it influenced her metalbending significantly, and mine by extension. The way you move, it's almost like a—"

"An airbender," Jinora breathed, finishing the captain's sentence. Startled, the two earthbenders turned to find the young air bender watching them closely from a nearby outcrop. Bowing to Kuvira, she stood up and began walking towards the two. "I was wondering why your bending looked so familiar when you were fighting Auntie Kya, and now I realize why-you use airbending movements in your forms. How did you incorporate them so quickly? You barely arrived at the temple a few days ago!"

"I don't know," Chen said pensively. "I've bent like this since I first discovered my connection to the earth, and I learned everything I know from my mother. The only thing I can think of is if my mother studied with Avatar Aang and my father decades ago."

"That would make sense," Jinora said thoughtfully. " If the Uncle Bumi's stories are true, then they spent a LOT of time together. Maybe some of his techniques rubbed off on her and subsequently on you."

Chen nodded, and faced her sister. Silently, she examined her. Jinora looked normal, but there was something off nonetheless. "Jin, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Not quite," Jinora confessed. "I used my spiritual projection while you two were fighting to track Korra. Something bad is happening, and I need to warn Dad before it's too late."

"Go," Chen said, forcing her sister to sit cross-legged. "We'll guard you."

"We'll do what now?" Kuvira said. _I'm not leaving my guards to accompany children on a field trip!_

"Thank you," Jinora said rushedly before once again tapping into her spiritual powers.

Kuvira alternated between eyeing a meditating Jinora and Chen, who was intensely watching her younger sister. "What is she doing, exactly? You have a sky bison, that's the fastest way to find Suyin and your mother."

"Actually, this is," Chen said, turning to look at the captain. "Jinora's able to separate her spirit from her body and send it to wherever she feels a connection-since we don't know where they are at the moment, it's the perfect way to find their location without drawing attention."

Kuvira started silently at Chen before resuming her watch over the meditating airbender. "If you say so."

* * *

"Wooo yeah! We are going on a field trip! We're going on a field trip to save KORRA!" Bolin yelled, pumping his fists for emphasis. Tonraq stared straight ahead as Lin massaged her temples, losing more patience with every passing second. She had vastly underestimated Mako's tolerance for his brother's immaturity. If Bolin was half this annoying on a daily basis, it was a miracle the firebender hadn't already burned Republic City to the ground.

"Tenzin, which cave is Laghima's specifically?" Suyin asked, unfazed by the overenegetic teen accompanying them. Unlike her more irritable sister, the younger Beifong sister had patience in spades due to the fact that she raised six children who were close in age. At this point there were few teenage antics that would phase her. Besides, she liked Bolin and his positive energy; though the others wouldn't admit it, they needed it now more than ever.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Lin added impatiently.

Tenzin sighed. "It shouldn't be far. Just around this bend…I think…"

"Ugh!" Lin groaned as Suyin, Tonraq, and Bolin continued walking calmly. "So what you're saying is that we're lost!"

"I wouldn't use the term lost, per se," Tenzin said, as the group came to another fork in the labyrinth beneath the peak.

"Hey Lin, since you're the detective and supposedly the one with better seismic sense, why don't you try navigating?" Su said, a hint of teasing in her voice.

"I would if I knew our final destination!" Lin growled through gritted teeth, turning on Tenzin, lifting him by the throat of his cape and slamming him into the cave wall. "Is Korra actually being kept here, Airhead, or are you just guessing?"

"Korra is being kept in the largest cavern," an unexpected voice informed them for Tenzin. "It's near the center of the mountain. I would guide you all the way there, but I'm worried Zaheer can sense my energy if my spirit gets too close. But I can accompany you part of the way."

Lin turned to find the young airbender gazing calmly at her. "Jinora! You shouldn't be down here!"

"I'm not," Jinora replied with a smirk. "Chen and Kuvira have my body. I'm safe as long as I don't get too close to Zaheer. Now, can you all quit bickering? We're running out of time and need to save Korra, you can reprimand me later!"

With a huff, Lin released Tenzin (who crumpled to the ground with a clumsy thud) and continued forward through the tunnel after Jinora's spirit left the group with no choice but to follow. The group proceeded in pursuit of the young airbender through winding paths, narrow, damp, halls, and semi-flooded tunnels. As they kept walking the sounds of rattling chains got louder and the dark tunnels started becoming brighter.

"We're getting closer," Jinora said, leading the way. "I can feel Korra's energy from here! It's getting...weaker?" The airbender looked down worriedly. Whatever was happening, they had to hurry. If they didn't get to her soon...well, she didn't want to think about that.

Tonraq frowned and wordlessly pushed forward, ice daggers already forming around his fists. Touching her hand to the wall, Suyin surveyed the platform in the cavern for numbers. Four men, an armless woman…but where was Korra?

She felt Zaheer face their direction. "Ghazan, Ming-hua… it would appear we have unwanted company," the vibrations caused by his voice resonated through the walls and into Suyin's hand. She gasped and pulled away.

"He knows! He's sending people our way!" Suyin announced.

"I'll lead them off course and call for backup! You guys get Korra!" Jinora responded quickly, disappearing before anyone could protest.

Lin too placed her hand on the wall. They 'watched' Zaheer turn away from them and point in the opposite direction. "Just beyond there," he said. Ghazan kicked straight through the cave walls. "YOU TWO! Continue administering the poison!"

"Come on!" Lin and Suyin yelled as they forward, the others not far behind.

* * *

"Seriously? You chose Naga as our ride?"

The polar bear-dog sloppily licked Mako's face as they ran towards Laghima's Peak. Asami glared at the firebender. "What, is Naga not good enough anymore?"

"No no, it's not that!" Mako said, eyes wide as he shook his head. "It's just-wouldn't a sky bison be faster?"

"They won't let us drive them without explicit permission from their lifelong companions," Asami said matter-of-factly. "Besides, you said so yourself in the strategy meeting: Naga's the best tracker out there save for a shirshu. She'll find Korra way faster than any sky bison could. Plus, she can actually fit into the tunnels."

"MAKO, ASAMI! OVER HERE!"

Startled, Asami turned Naga around to face...Jinora?

"Jinora? What are you doing here?" Asami asked. "Where's Chen? Are you two okay?"

"Yes yes, we're both fine," Jinora said, impatiently waving Asami off. "We're nearby with the Metal Clan-I'm using my spirit to communicate with you right now, Chen and Kuvira are watching over my body. Anyways, we don't have much time. Korra's being poisoned, and the Red Lotus are about to attack my dad if we don't hurry up and get to the group in time. Follow me!"

The Sato CEO followed the young airbender as she took the two through the mouth of the caves under Laghima's Peak. Jinora never wavered as she led the group through winding halls, half-sunken tunnels, and finally to a large, somewhat lit hallway. The group could hear other voices increasing in volume as they got closer.

"This is as far as I can go before Zaheer senses my spirit again. Just follow the voices, and you'll be in the right place. Oh, and one more thing?" Jinora said, looking back at the two teens. "Bring Korra back in one piece, will you?"

Mako nodded as the young airbender disappeared in the blink of an eye. Wordlessly the two plunged forward, Naga running until she knocked down a surprised Bolin.

"Naga! It's so good to see you girl!" the young earthbender said, grinning as the polar bear-dog furiously licked his face. Lin stared at her detective as he slid off Naga's back, her face unamused.

"About time you all show up," she remarked tartly. "Where have you all been?"

"We were helping out Kya and Pema," Asami replied. "We came as soon as Jinora got ahold of us."

"Regardless, we're just happy you're here now," Suyin said, attempting to smooth over the tension.

Crashes could be heard nearby. Suyin and Lin reflexively put their hands on the wall to 'see' what was happening.

"Two people are entering the main cave, and one of them is armless," Lin said. "Looks like Jinora's ruse worked, but we won't be undetectable for long."

Suyin gasped. "A chunk of rock was just torn from the ceiling-it has to be Korra! Go, go go!"

The group burst into the large cave to find Korra fully in the Avatar State, tearing her chains from their attachments as she pursued a flying Zaheer through an opening in the ceiling. Mako turned to the adults. "Go save Korra. We've got this."

Lin scoffed as Tonraq and Tenzin sprinted towards the Avatar. "And leave you three alone against the Red Lotus? I don't think so!" At that precise moment Asami vaulted over the police chief and electrocuted the two guards with her modified glove before they could attack. Lin rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. But we're taking Asami with us!"

The younger Beifong gave each of the boys a hug before dragging the two irate women out with her, hoping to catch up with Korra before she got hurt. Once Asami's protests and Naga's whines could no longer be heard, the boys faced the cavern. "That's odd," Mako said, looking around. "I thought there were supposed to be two more people. Where are they?"

At that moment Mako felt himself being forcibly pulled down to the lower parts of the cavern. Eyes wide, he faced the armless waterbender and her water-whip arms. "So nice to meet you," she crooned. "If only I could stick around."

"Why? Are you going somewhere?" the firebender growled. Mako nimbly danced around Ming-Hua's attacks as he hid behind the cave's natural rock formations. Seeing an opening, he flipped on top of two small stalagmites and electrocuted the water. With a shriek the waterbender convulsed and fell on the ground, her chest still.

Mako didn't even stop to process as he jumped up the wall to find Bolin holding his own against the lavabender. Ghazan stopped inundating Bolin with waves of lava to sneer at the brothers. "How cute. You brought a friend for backup."

The firebender protectively stood in front of his younger brother. "Give up! You can't win!"

"And do what, surrender?" The lavabender asked mockingly. "That's never going to happen. I would rather die than go back to jail!" Ghazan began liquefying the floors and walls of the cavern, which began to cave in.

Bolin grabbed ahold of his brother as he created an earth slab. "Hang on, bro!" Quickly he bent them out of the disintegrating cave, through the multitudinous tunnels, and out to the mouth of the cave. Orienting themselves, they caught sight of Naga and Pepper and ran towards the group. Upon seeing the boys, Asami brightened and pulled them both into a hug. "Thank the Spirits you're okay," she said tearily.

"I told you we'd be fine," Mako said, squeezing Asami tighter. "Do you have Korra yet?"

"Not quite," Tonraq said, pointing at the sky. Mako followed the chieftain's line of focus to find Korra flying around and hurling rocks at Zaheer. "They're flying too fast for even an air bison to keep up with."

"Is there anything that makes airbending stronger?" Kuvira asked as she finished braiding Chen's hair. "Being high up in the mountains, or in the sky itself?"

Tenzin thought for a moment. "Being in the air makes us marginally stronger because we're in the wind currents, but the one thing that really strengthens airbending is being near thermal vents."

"Thermal vents?" Jinora said, perking up. "Those work because they heat the air up and make it easier to bend, right?"

"Right, but that wouldn't help us now since we're not near any," Tenzin said gently.

Jinora eyed Bolin. "Would lava do the same thing?"

"Feasibly, yes," her father replied, deep in thought. "Why?"

The young airbender faced Bolin. "Bo, I need you to create a giant circle of lava around us. NOW!"

"On it!" Flexing his fingers, he bent a large ring of lava around the group. Perspiration beading on her forehead, the young girl began walking in a circle, a small tornado appearing in her hands. Tenzin joined her, adding more air to her tornado. Within seconds the once-small tornado was reaching into the sky. With the push of her arms Jinora moved the wind she was bending towards Korra. She felt Zaheer struggle against the current and fought to keep him and Korra contained. Just when she thought she would lose them both, Korra fell, dragging Zaheer down with her by the very chains he locked on her. Bolin solidified the lava circle as Lin and Suyin trapped Zaheer in an earth tent. Panicked, Tonraq ran towards his daughter, who was lying dangerously still in a crater of her own making, unresponsive and badly injured.

"Korra, sweetheart, it's Dad. Please hang on, everything is going to be okay," Tonraq pleaded. The Avatar reached up to touch her father's cheek but slumped against her father's shoulder, her chest unmoving. Tonraq's quiet sobbing reverberated throughout the valley. Chen pressed Korra's still hand to her cheek. It felt cool to the touch, like her mother's armor.

Zaheer started laughing maniacally. "What are you laughing about?" Lin snapped.

"You're too late!" Zaheer cackled. "The poison has been in her system too long. The Red Lotus has won!"

"No, it hasn't," Chen whispered. Looking down at Korra, she dropped her hand and ran to her aunt. "Auntie Su, you can help! The poison, it's metallic!"

Suyin's eyes widened as she sprinted towards the Avatar. Holding her hands over the Avatar, she lunged deeply as she moved the metal through Korra's body. After a few tense minutes, Korra's eyes snapped open as Suyin cast the poison out of her body. Coughing, she weakly turned to look at her dad. "Dad. You're alive."

"Of course I am, my love," Tonraq replied, happy tears clouding his vision. "I'll always be here."

Chen watched the scene while tightly wrapped in her mother's arms, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Are you sure Auntie Su got all the metal out of Korra's body?" she asked anxiously.

Lin smiled softly and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. She would need to watch Chen more closely after today's events; the last thing she wanted was for her daughter to continue worrying about Korra. "She did, my love. Now come, let's get Jinora and tell the Northern Air Temple to prepare themselves for the others."

Nodding, Chen grabbed Jinora and walked towards Pepper. The chief's daughter stole one furtive glance back at the Avatar before boarding her sister's air bison. _Spirits, I hope Mom is right..._


	13. Chapter 13

A million thanks to user J. H. L. Z. N. T. L. for being my beta reader and contributing to the dialogue! You're the best!

A note for the laws and customs Katara talks about: 100 days after an infant is born in China a large celebration is given, showing the child in love and red envelopes of money. I adapted it so that 100 days later the name would be revealed, hence why Katara knew without actually knowing.

On another note, some of the dialogue has also been taken from the show itself, I cannot take credit for those portions! I can take credit for my character, Chen, and that's about it!

Please enjoy!

* * *

Two weeks had passed by incredibly quickly.

After transporting Korra back to the Northern Air Temple so she could be treated by Kya, it was unanimously decided that she would need more resources than a remote monastery could offer. As such, Tonraq, Lin, and Chen accompanied the Avatar to Republic City where Kya could utilize more experimental techniques to treat an incredibly frail Korra. Chen tried to cheer Korra up, but it was difficult as she went through unsuccessful treatment after unsuccessful treatment. Even Kya was worried that her condition was permanent, but still she pressed on in the hopes of curing Korra.

That was not to say, however, that their time in Republic City had been completely terrible since returning from the Northern Air Temple. Su decided to stay with Lin and Chen at their apartment before returning with them to Zaofu, much to everyone's delight. Chen spent her days adventuring with her aunt throughout the city while her mother worked; when she returned home, the Beifongs would gather in the dining room for a lively dinner filled with laughter. Lin even pulled out her musical instruments and began singing the songs of her and Suyin's childhood, her voice the perfect complement to the music. Su enjoyed every minute she spent with her sister and niece; she hadn't seen her sister this happy in a long time. And now, as the Beifongs walked towards the courtyard on Air Temple Island, the best had come.

Jinora, in recognition of her spiritual and bending capabilities, had received her master's tattoos. Today they celebrated her mastery with both a formal ceremony and a small reception for family. Chen teared up during the beautiful ceremony as she saw her sister's blue mastery tattoos unveiled to the world. She was so proud of Jinora, who stood calmly before those assembled as the world's newest airbending master. The part she was excited for most, however, was now: the reception.

"Jin-jin!" she squealed, running up to the newly anointed airbending master. "Congratulations, I'm so proud of you!"

Jinora laughed and squeezed her sister tightly. "Thank you so much Chen! It's so good to see you-wow, I love that dress, are those airbending symbols?"

Chen grinned as she twirled around in her cheongsam. Knee-length and shift-like, the forest green dress was embroidered with hundreds of airbending symbols. "They are! I told Auntie Su I wanted to have something that honored both the Air Nomads and the Earth Kingdom, and she surprised me with this dress the day before yesterday!"

The airbender was about to reply when she heard a ruckus near the food table. Senna, Korra's mother, was excitedly talking to someone, but Tonraq's positioning made impossible to see who. Ikki and Meelo were zooming around on air scooters and came close to toppling over a punch bowl before speeding by the two girls.

"Gran-gran's here, Gran-gran's here!" Ikki cheered, a wide smile taking up half her face as she whizzed past the girls and towards an unsuspecting Pema.

"Ikki, be careful!" Jinora cautioned. Shaking her head, she turned to Chen. "I'm going to say hi to Gran-gran, do you want to come? She'll be so excited to meet you!"

"What? Oh, you go ahead, she probably wants to congratulate you about your mastery," Chen said good-naturedly. "I'll catch up later!"

Jinora grinned and ran off while Chen walked over to find her mother talking with Suyin and Kya. "Hey cherry blossom, we were just talking about you," Lin said, pulling her into a hug. "Did you have a nice conversation with Jinora, master to master?"

"We did, of a sorts," Chen replied, smiling. "Though we didn't talk about bending or anything. We actually didn't talk much at all-Ikki interrupted us by telling Jinora that their Gran-gran was here. I let her be to say hi, we'll catch up later."

"Her Gran-gran?" Suyin asked. "Badgermole, she's yours too!"

Lin stiffened. This is _not_ where she wanted Chen to meet her grandmother, but here they were nonetheless. Would the family introductions _ever_ end? "Katara's here?"

"She is," Kya agreed, subconsciously rubbing calming circles on Lin's shoulder. "She was supposed to be here for the ceremony, but her ship only just got in twenty minutes ago."

"Auntie Kya, can I ask you something?" Chen said, moving closer to her waterbending aunt.

"Of course, sweetheart," Kya replied, affectionately stroking her cheek. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course," Chen said. "Does Katara know about me? I just figure if you didn't know, and Auntie Su didn't know, then she must not know either."

"Spirits alive, if it isn't Lin and Suyin Beifong on Air Temple Island."

The group turned around to find Katara smiling at them, her hands on her hips.

"You know, I always joked with Aang that the day the two Beifong sisters would make up would be the day the spirits emerged from their world," the legendary master said, chuckling. "Guess I was right after all. It's good to see you both here, girls. Reminds me of old times, the good times."

"It really does," the sisters replied in unison, laughing as they both hugged Katara at the same time.

Katara held them deceptively tightly before turning to Kya and Chen. Long black hair, piercing green eyes, and with those cheekbones? She's was definitely Lin's daughter, but where Lin would have glared or scowled Chen instead calmly watched the waterbender's appraisal. Only one person had ever been that calm when placed in odd situations. After a few minutes she gently took the girl into her arms. Chen stiffened but relaxed immediately. "You are every bit your mother, except you've been blessed with your father's tranquility," she said, turning to face the calm earthbender in her arms before continuing her hug. "I love you so much already, my darling granddaughter."

Lin was floored. Kya had frozen her to a pillar when she found out about Chen, and now Katara was hugging the girl to death? Had Kya told her already? "How did you know?"

Katara chuckled as she held the youngest Beifong tight against her chest. "Thirteen years ago this past spring, the entire Earth Kingdom healing network was in a tizzy that there was a new member of the Southern noble class, though no one knew who thanks to your laws and customs. This birth, of course, just _happened_ to be nine months after you broke up with my son. You not coming to Tenzin's wedding just confirmed what I already suspected."

Lin rubbed her temples. "I don't understand-you've known this entire time?"

The legendary waterbender laughed. "Lin Beifong, I brought you into this world 51 years ago and have been in your life ever since. You _really_ thought you could hide your child from me?"

Tenzin walked up to the group, punch glass in hand. Upon seeing his mother hugging his eldest daughter, he smiled. "I see you've met the newest member of our family?"

"I have indeed," Katara said, smiling as widely as her son was. "I trust you've been spoiling her as much as your other children?"

"More so," Lin said, a smile playing on her lips. "If I leave her unsupervised with him one more time, I swear Chen will come back home her own sky bison!"

"Who's to say that's a bad thing?" Chen said, wiggling her eyebrows at her reddening father. The adults assembled laughed; Tenzin had originally been incredibly resistant to the idea of Chen's existence, but after the events at the Northern Air Temple he had warmed up to the youngest Beifong significantly. Nowadays he hosted her and Suyin for lunch whenever they were free, and the teen even slept over one weekend so Su could take Lin out for drinks and dancing. When Lin came to the island to pick the girl up, she was shocked but not surprised that the girl was returning home with a new suitcase filled with books, new sheet music, and even another meteorite for her to play with. She glared at Tenzin as she dragged the heavy suitcase onto the ferry, but Tenzin smugly stared back; they both knew it was going to happen any time Chen slept over.

"For starters, you wouldn't be able to keep them in your apartment. Though if you both lived full-time in Zaofu, that could be mitigated," Suyin said, pointedly looking at her older sister.

"Su, we're literally staying with you for the next six weeks before Chen goes back to school," Lin replied, her eyebrows raised.

"Spirits, your Gran-gran and I are going to miss you so much in the meantime kid," Kya said, reaching over to hug her favorite earthbending niece.

"Me too," Chen said, breaking away from her grandmother to hug her aunt. "But I'm sleeping over tonight with Jinora and Ikki, so I'm not leaving just yet!"

"Well good, because your grandmother and I will be here as well. Lin, Suyin, are you sure you all don't want to stay over too? There's more than enough rooms!"

"Yes, Lin, Suyin, you two should stay," Tenzin said sincerely. "It will be just like old times."

"Hey, as long as there's cactus juice I'm in," Suyin said breezily. Kya grinned wickedly while Katara's eyes widened, her memories of Su's first cactus trip flooding back.

"I don't know," Lin said haltingly. "Would Pema mind?"

"Not at all," the Acolyte said, passing by as she carried a punch-soaked Meelo to the bathtub. "We have the room, plus we have so much leftover food, meat included for you carnivores."

Lin smiled gratefully. "Thanks Pema, I really appreciate it."

"Anytime," Pema said, returning the police chief's smile. "I'm looking forward to it."

* * *

Lin was glad she had stayed over.

Though the reception had ended hours ago, she found herself sitting with Kya, Bumi, Tenzin, and Suyin, the group sharing a rather large bottle of potent cactus juice over the kitchen table. Katara and Pema, feeling the need to stay sober for the rest of the island's sake, had retreated to the main house where they were spending time with the children. Indeed, Lin could hear the strains of a certain guzheng being carried on the summer breeze along with the sound of children giggling.

"Hot damn it has been far too long since we've done this," Kya said as she finished her drink. "How long has it been, Lin?"

"It was 15 years ago," Lin recalled. "I remember because we were talking about how old we were now that Iroh had graduated from military officer school."

"That's right!" Kya exclaimed. "And now little Mizuki just graduated from military school too. Spirits, we are _old_."

"We really are," Tenzin said, looking at his barely-touched glass. "I still remember her, four years old and trying desperately to throw Uncle Sokka's boomerang."

"Spirits, I miss Uncle Sokka," Kya said, gazing wistfully at the empty bottle in front of her. "He was such a good person."

"He was so much fun," Suyin said as she grabbed another bottle and began pouring everyone another round. "You know, he used to play hide and seek with me, after you all grew up? It was never that fun with mom since she knew exactly where I was, so Uncle Sokka would make it point to play hide and seek with me, or paint with me, or tell me stories…"

"You know, Uncle Sokka taught me a lot back when I was a nonbender," Bumi said, slightly slurring his words as he finished his drink. "How to use a boomerang, how to strategize, how to get the ladies…" He took another sip. "But I still think the most valuable bit of information he told me was that if you gave someone enough cactus juice it would act as a truth serum."

"What if they refused to drink it?" Tenzin asked, not wanting to hear another one of Bumi's grandiose tales yet again.

"Have you seriously met anyone who would refuse cactus juice?" Suyin asked, eyebrows raised. "Your nondrinking acolytes don't count."

"Riiiight, because cactus juice makes you so clear minded," Kya replied, clumsily bringing her cup up to drink.

"You never know," Bumi pouted. "Linny, do you think it would work?"

"On my suspects? I doubt it," Lin said, casually sipping her drink. "I'll tell you one thing though: if I could drink cactus juice during interrogations it would make them _much_ more bearable."

"You know what would be a fun way to test it?" Suyin said mischievously. "Playing truth or truth!"

Lin raised an eyebrow as she pulled Suyin's glass closer to her. "You do realize that the game is truth or dare, right?"

"Of course I do," Suyin said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed her glass. "But what dares could we pull? We've already broken into the cactus juice, so that's off the table."

"Bending while drunk would destroy half my island and countless Air Nomad artifacts," Tenzin said, panic seeping into his voice.

"We could do kissing dares," Bumi suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at Lin.

"In your dreams," the Chief of Police said curtly.

"Fine," Bumi said, crossing his arms. "You don't know what you're missing out on."

"Sadly, I do." Lin replied, finishing the rest of her cactus juice.

Kya's head snapped around. "You've kissed both my brothers?"

"Believe it or not, yes," Lin replied. "Though to be fair, I kissed Bumi after I lost a bet, and Tenzin because we dated for over a decade. Different situations entirely."

Suyin slammed her glass on the table. "You know what this means, right? It's time for two truths and a lie!"

Bumi clasped his hands in glee. "Finally, we're getting somewhere!"

"I'll go first," Kya said, draining her glass. "Okay, I once healed Mako, Korra, and Bolin at the same time using spirit water, I dated a swampbender, and I used to be Suyin's healer."

"Why do these all sound true?" Tenzin muttered. Lin gently elbowed him in response.

"It's the swampbender one," Suyin replied, munching on a leftover plate of dumplings she found in the fridge and offering them to the group. "I know because you personally delivered all five of my children and stayed in Zaofu until the twins were three because taking care of all those children without help was next to impossible. I also know because you didn't date a swampbender but one of my Metal Clan guards for a few years. She wants to know when you're coming through Zaofu next, by the way." Kya blushed as she finished her drink.

"I'll go next," Tenzin said, finishing his first glass of cactus juice for the night. "I have five children, I got my tattoos when I was fifteen, and I had my first kiss when I was nine."

"Those are all truths," Su said confusedly. "Are you sure you've played this before?"

"Nope! Kiss was a lie." Kya said confidently.

"Nope, Lin's probably hiding another kid of his somewhere." Bumi said, a smile on his lips.

"No, I don't have another hidden kid. Tenzin was fourteen when he got his tats," Lin answered with her nose in her glass.

"Linny let you kiss her when she was just an eight year old baby?" Bumi said disbelievingly.

"She skinned her knee and started crying. Mom always kissed me when I cried, so I tried it with Lin."

"Did she punch you?" Su asked, amused.

"Yep," Lin laughed.

"My turn," Bumi said as he poured himself what Lin thought was his fifth glass of cactus juice. "I joined the United Forces when I was 20, when we were 15 I pretended I was Izumi's husband when a creepy Earth Kingdom noble started hitting on her at a gala, and when I was 40 she nearly killed me for getting Iroh drunk during his first year in training school...oh, and Lin and Tenzin still have a crush on each other."

"Wait, that's four things," Kya said, frowning as she counted how many statements her brother made.

"And they're all true," Suyin said, smiling smugly.

Tenzin spit out his cactus juice. "What?!"

"Lin's literally leaning on your shoulder, and you don't seem to have a problem with letting her!" Bumi said, slamming his fist on the table for emphasis. "You can't tell me that's not a lie!"

The two split instantly, both their faces reddening.

"I should go to bed," Lin said, dumping her glass in the sink as she ran from the table.

"No, STAY!" Suyin whined, trapping her sister's feet in stone subconsciously as she slumped onto the table.

Lin unbent herself and sprinted her sister to their guest rooms, praying that everyone had drunk enough cactus juice to forget what had just transpired.

* * *

It had been three weeks since they had arrived in Zaofu and Lin still found herself replaying the conversation over and over again in her head. Revealing Chen's existence might have reawakened some feelings in them, but who was to say that they were even romantic in nature? It's hard not to love someone when you've had a child with them, but the way he still looked at Pema-and even slow danced with her at Jinora's reception-showed that they were still very much in love. Lin sighed as she turned the page in her newspaper, her breakfast virtually untouched. Chen, blessedly, was oblivious to her mother's internal turmoil. She chatted animatedly with her aunt and cousins before brightening up at a presence in the doorway.

"Kuvira!" She exclaimed, bowing deeply before running and jumping into the captain's outstretched arms. Chen adored the Metal Clan captain and had hoped to spend more time with her during her vacation in Zaofu learning how to metalbend more fluidly. However, the captain had been especially busy increasing security after the fall of the Earth Kingdom and training the new recruits; as such, she was hardly around the Beifong compound, making her presence a treat for the youngest Beifong.

"It's good to see you, kid," Kuvira replied, her normally taciturn face giving way to a warm smile. "I'm actually here for your mom, though. There's someone here to see her."

"Really?" Lin replied, putting down her newspaper in intrigue. Other than Tenzin and Lieutenant Saikhan, no one else knew where she was, only that she was taking personal time off. "Who?"

"President Raiko of the United Republic, ma'am," Kuvira replied, releasing Chen from her hug. "He says it's urgent, that it regards national security."

"Is he here with anyone else?" Suyin questioned, gently putting down her chopsticks.

"Yes ma'am, he's with Master Tenzin of the Air Nation."

Suyin shared a glance with Lin. _Tenzin's here? But why?_ After a moment the younger Beifong addressed Kuvira. "Where are they now?"

"I showed them to your office, ma'am."

Su nodded as both she and Lin rose from the table. "I hate to cut our breakfast short, children, but it looks like Lin and I have some business to attend to. Don't worry though, we'll see you all for lunch," she said breezily, kissing each of her children on the forehead before facing Kuvira. "Kuvira dear, please see if there are others arriving."

The captain nodded. "And after that, ma'am?"

"Join us in my office. I would feel much better if you were with us."

The captain nodded and departed, calling orders into her portable radio as she walked towards her guardhouse. Chen turned to her mother as she walked past, anxiety on her face. "Is everything okay, Mama? If Dad's here something bad has happened, hasn't it?"

"I wouldn't worry badgermole, Raiko's just a windbag and probably dragged your father along for the ride. If anything he's just irritated that he had to travel to see me instead of barge into my office like he normally does." Lin gently kissed her daughter on her forehead. "Why don't you go play power disc with Wei and Wing? I'm sure they would love someone else to play with."

"We totally would!" Wei said, beaming. "Plus, if Huan joins us we can go two versus two!"

"Oh good," Huan mumbled into his eggs, mourning the loss of what seemed like a productive morning.

"C'mon little cousin, let's go beat Wei in power disc!" Wing said, pulling his cousin onto his back for a piggyback ride as Wing did the same with a bored Huan. Soon the halls were filled with happy yelling as the twins raced each other to be the first to the power disc field. Suyin chuckled as she shook her head and showed her sister to her office.

Sure enough, Kuvira, President Raiko, and Tenzin were drinking tea in silence as they waited for the Beifong sisters. Tenzin stood up and bowed as soon as the sisters walked in, the others immediately following suit. After they all sat down at the couches in Suyin's office, Tenzin poured each sister a cup of tea. Suyin delicately placed her teacup on its saucer. "President Raiko, Tenzin, to what do Lin and I owe the pleasure?"

The president finished sipping his tea. "The recent assassination of the Earth Queen has left a power vacuum in the Kingdom. Local warlords have been vying for power and territory in the wealthier regions while some of the more poverty stricken villages have seen an increase in pillaging by nomadic tribes of bandits."

Lin narrowed her eyes. The president was never one for small talk, but what exactly did he have up his sleeve? "I understand how the deteriorating situation in the Earth Kingdom can be threatening to our national security, but with all due respect, President Raiko, what does this have to do with me? I'm the Chief of Police for Republic City, and I don't plan on leaving that position anytime soon."

"I don't think you quite understand, Lin," the president said in a slightly patronizing tone. Lin barely contained the urge to smack him upside the head with a nearby metal sculpture. "The Earth Kingdom is in _chaos._ I'm concerned about what will happen next if someone doesn't take control of the situation."

"Someone? Who are you thinking of?" Suyin asked curiously. At that moment Su realized that Tenzin was staring directly at her and her sister. "You think _we_ should be the ones?"

"You two are the perfect people to take charge," Tenzin said, studiously avoiding Lin's glare. "The world leaders trust Lin's expertise and your experience, and as Beifongs you have credibility in the Earth Kingdom."

"I'm not sure I made myself clear earlier, but I am not going to swoop into Ba Sing Se and start enacting grand changes because you two think my last name means people will prostrate themselves at my feet," Lin said, fuming. "I will help, but only in my current capacity."

"I'm honored that you thought of me, but I'm not interested in imposing my ideals on an entire nation," Suyin said firmly. Kuvira's head shot up in surprise. "I'm afraid I can't help you."

Kuvira uneasily cleared her throat. "Suyin, I know this isn't my place, but I think you should do this. Zaofu has always been a beacon of modern progress, and now you can share that with everyone."

"What would you have me do? March into Ba Sing Se with an army?" Su asked, her voice dangerously calm. "We'd be seen as conquerors and greeted with nothing but war."

"There are already wars," Kuvira pointed out frustratedly. "The Earth Queen nearly destroyed our nation. This is our opportunity to change things."

"It's not going to happen," Suyin said sternly, her eyes flashing with anger. Kuvira's face fell for a split second before assuming a neutral expression. Su turned towards Tenzin and President Raiko. "If you want I will help you in an advisory position, but like Lin I will not be your Earth Kingdom savior. Good day."

Suyin nearly dragged President Raiko out of her office, Kuvira swiftly following her out. Lin turned angrily to Tenzin. "What the _entire_ fuck, Tenzin? What spirit possessed you to make you think that _any_ of that was a good idea?"

"It's not such an unreasonable thought, Lin," he countered. "Your dedication to the safety and order of Republic City is world-renowned. And Su singlehandedly built a city based on revolutionary ideals that would serve the Earth Kingdom well in this time of turmoil."

"Tenzin," Lin said, clasping her hands together, "Just because Su and I _happen_ to be Beifongs does not give us a free pass within the Earth Kingdom. Yes, Su and I are accomplished in our respective areas, but that is because we know when our help is warranted, and when it is not. This is one of the latter times, in case you haven't noticed."

"It will only be a temporary post…" Tenzin said, his voice slightly trailing off as Lin continued to glare at him. "Hou-Ting has a nephew and once we groom Prince Wu-"

"Groom? _Groom?_ " Lin said, furious. "So you want us to do all of the dirty work while you raise a puppet who probably thinks the Earth Kingdom just magically works on its own. Forgive me for not wanting to teach a spoiled brat the principles of national security from the ground up! If you're so interested, then why aren't you stepping into a more prominent role?"

"Do you _really_ think the best antidote for a crumbling Earth Kingdom is an Air Nation airbending master?" Tenzin said, his eyebrow raised. "I am trying to do the best I can by the Earth Kingdom with what I have!"

"Then where is Korra?" Lin demanded. "Why isn't she here with Raiko, trying to brainstorm the best ways to help the people of the Earth Kingdom?"

Tenzin was about to yell at Lin and then stopped. "Wait...you haven't heard?" he asked haltingly.

"Heard what, exactly?" Lin asked tartly. "I get reports from headquarters wired to me daily, but the Avatar is conspicuously absent."

The airbender sighed and made to reach for Lin's hand but decided against it. "Lin, Korra's been moved to the South Pole. Kya's treatments weren't working, not even the ones involving spirit water-my mother spends over 12 hours a day taking care of Korra, but her situation hasn't improved much."

Lin carefully watched Tenzin, who sat on Suyin's couch like a spring ready to uncurl. "How bad is it?" Lin asked, unease entering her voice. Tenzin was hiding something, and that was never good...

"Before with Kya she couldn't move her legs. Now with my mother she can move her big toes, but nothing else below her waist," Tenzin said quietly.

Lin ran her fingers through her hair. Korra wouldn't even be in this position if it hadn't been for her…

"It's my fault," the police chief said quietly. Tenzin sat up, worried. "I should have gone with the Red Lotus all that time ago, should have made them take me over Korra. The world needs its Avatar, not me."

"That's not true," Tenzin said quietly. Not receiving a response, he moved next to Lin and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. "Chen needs her mother, and Suyin needs her sister. And I...I need my closest friend."

Lin looked at Tenzin, a wry smile on your face. "If your closest friend is your ex-lover who hid your firstborn child from you for 13 years, then you might need to reevaluate what you look for in friends."

The two started chuckling, which soon turned into uproarious laughter. Their entire situation was absurd, and if they hadn't lived it they wouldn't have believed such things could happen. They soon quieted, looking at the tea leaves in the bottom of their glasses.

"Spirits, I hope Korra gets better soon," Tenzin said quietly. "The world needs her now more than ever."

"We just have to give her time, Tenzin," Lin replied, looking over at the airbender. "She'll come back to us soon enough."

* * *

Weeks turned into months which turned into years. Kuvira, Suyin's Captain of the Metal Clan, broke away from Zaofu to single handedly save Ba Sing Se when she realized that Suyin wouldn't be actively helping. Su's anger contorted into fury when she realized that her eldest son would be joining his love on her mission. She watched in anguish as Kuvira's new _Earth Empire_ began swallowing up the Earth Kingdom, city-states being forced to join the metalbender or face trade blockades and starvation. Once a sound sleeper, she stayed up late at night, tossing and turning as she analyzed all the ways she had gone wrong. _Should I have helped Raiko? Could I have prevented this?_

Tenzin also watched with worry as Kuvira's empire overtook the old kingdom. As such, he assigned the Air Nation benders to humanitarian missions, sending supplies in on air bisons until they could either sustain themselves or (overwhelmingly) they signed an agreement to join Kuvira's confederation. Pema, as always, kept watch over the children. Rohan was finally an airbender, and it took most of her energy to keep the rambunctious boy in line. Ikki was her ever-chatty self, though much to her father's delight (and everyone else's dismay) she had taken to playing airbending horns. Meelo had assigned himself the head of the welcoming committee for new airbenders, and threw himself into training them on the basics. Jinora taught the more intermediate benders, and even ran humanitarian missions with her boyfriend Kai-of course, Opal had to ride along with them, as her own air bison always got suspiciously sick with purple tongue syndrome the morning of their departure. Tenzin maintained that it was simply a coincidence, as was the disappearance of Pema's purple berries.

As for Lin, no matter how much the world changed the seedy underbelly of Republic City stayed the same. Every week it seemed that there was a new triad to disband, another smuggling ring to set up a sting for, and a violent fringe movement to squash. It was almost heartening, if it weren't so worrying that her city might be slipping into unrelenting violence. That being said, she always made time to spend with her daughter no matter how dire a case seemed. Chen was sixteen now, a fact that made Lin shudder. When did her precious baby grow up? The girl had entered a half-day conservatory program where she was the top-ranked guzheng player, though she still made a point of metalbending with Lin's officers and learning the ins and outs of the station. When she wasn't busy with school the girl went spent time with her family at Air Temple Island, continued to defend her spotless sparring record at her dojo (and was eying a spot on the junior probending team, much to her mother's delight and her father's despair), and visited Gaoling and Zaofu during vacations. She wished people would stop asking her how she felt about Kuvira's Earth Empire-she had adored the metalbender when she was a captain in her aunt's autonomous state, but seeing the havoc her methods wreaked on innocent people pained her. She wished more than anything she could talk to Korra-she would know what to do...

* * *

It took all of her energy to tie her boat to the dock.

She hadn't been the same since Zaheer tried to kill her. Initially paralyzed from the waist down, it had taken her over a month to move her big toe and nearly four months to move her legs. It was at the one-year mark that she was able to walk unassisted, and six months after that she could finally bend properly. She had tried to turn to the Spirit World for guidance, but it was no use; her connection to the spirits had been severed, and most likely for good. The more time she spent isolated in the South Pole, the more frustrated she became. As such, her request to travel to Republic City was approved immediately after she asked for it. She had feigned renewed energy well enough for even Katara to be fooled, but that didn't matter now. Her bones ached deeply, and she needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night that wasn't a small, rickety boat.

Standing up, the Avatar slowly walked through the port and past tenements that morphed into spirit vines that then transitioned into City Hall. Wheezing, she sat on a park bench to catch her breath when she saw a familiar apartment complex directly in her line of sight. Using the last of her energy, Korra dragged herself towards the building and up the elevator of the apartment. Once she got out she made a right turn and slumped against the nearest door frame, sweat beading her brow. The last thing she heard before passing out was a surprised gasp, and someone calling out for help.

She felt the pain as soon as she was conscious.

Groaning, she opened her eyes to find herself in a nicely appointed bedroom. The walls were painted a sky blue, and the bed she was in was fluffy and outfitted in soft white sheets. There was a desk by the large windows that had three photos in matching black picture frames. The Avatar tried to sit up to get a closer look but felt a hand stop her.

"Don't overexert yourself, Korra," the voice said as it gently placed pillows behind her that allowed her to sit up without trying. "You should be resting right now."

Korra turned over to find a teenager by her. Her long black hair flowed down her back in smooth waves, and her sharp cheekbones perfectly accented bright green eyes that calmly watched her every movement. The teen sat up ramrod straight, as if she was wearing a cheongsam and not an old training uniform. The Avatar looked at her companion perplexedly before realization hit her. "Chen? Is that you?"

Chen nodded and tearily hugged the young woman. "I've missed you so much Korra," she breathed before releasing her. "But did you have to give us such a scare? I'm not sure I've ever seen Mom that panicked in my entire life-I definitely won't forget her carrying you bridal-style to the bedroom."

Korra smiled sheepishly. "What can I say, I love to make an entrance." She quickly fell silent, glancing at the teen standing before her. "You're tall," she commented, her eyes combing over Chen. "When did that happen? You didn't even hit your mom's shoulder the last time I saw you!"

"A lot's changed these past three years," Chen said quietly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You wouldn't believe what's been going on."

The Avatar was about to respond when she saw someone in the doorway. Upon recognizing the person, she broke out into a grin. "Mama Beifong? Is that you?"

Lin swooped in and gently hugged her old charge, tears spilling from her eyes. "You can't scare me like that kid," the police chief said gruffly, trying not to strangle Korra. "What the hell have you been up to?"

"Not much," Korra said vaguely.

The police chief frowned and turned to her daughter. "Chen, do me a favor and bring us some food from the kitchen. We'll be eating dinner in here tonight." The youngest Beifong dutifully left and returned five minutes later with three bowls piled high with noodles. After distributing their bowls and chopsticks, the trio silently sat down and began eating. Once finished Lin gently placed her bowl on the desk before facing Korra. "Why on earth have you been gone so long? Haven't you seen the disarray the world is falling into without you?"

"Of course I have," Korra retorted weakly. "I'm just not 100% healed yet. I'll get there soon, but I can't begin to restore balance if I'm still out of sorts myself."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "So let me get this straight, you're well enough to make a solo trip from the Southern Water Tribe to Republic City, but not to carry out your duties?"

"Be nice, Mama," Chen said, moving to sit next to Korra on the bed. "It's difficult to function with metal in your body, much less carry out the work required of the Avatar. I'm sure it's why Jinora hasn't found her in the Spirit World in a while."

"It's true, I haven't been to the Spirit World for some time-" Korra's head snapped over to the teen as Lin's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Wait, can you not feel it?" Chen asked, worry crossing her features. "There's still metal in your body-I felt it as soon as I hugged you. I'm not sure exactly how much is left, but it's definitely enough to compromise your health."

"No, you're lying," Korra said. "Your aunt metalbent all the poison out."

"I'm not," Chen replied, an edge in her voice. "There's still metal in your body. What's more, I can prove it. Hold your arm out."

The Avatar rolled her eyes but did as she was told. Within seconds her arm felt as if it was on fire, and memories of being poisoned flashed before her eyes. Korra thrashed about, yelling in pain before the visions subsided. Beside her, she heard Lin gasp.

"Spirits alive," the chief said, looking at her daughter. "I'm going to kill Su for this."

Korra followed the chief's line of focus to find Chen keeping a bead-sized piece of metal aloft in the air. "You have to be kidding me," she breathed.

"I'm really not," Chen said, bending the piece into the trash can by the desk. "There's definitely more, but I can't take it out, not without hurting you."

"What? No, please, you have to help me!" Korra said pleadingly. After Chen shook her head, she turned to the Chief of Police. "Mama Beifong, what about you? You can get the metal out!"

"Not without severely injuring you," Lin replied, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "As far as I know Su is the only metalbender who's been trained in the healing arts, and if she couldn't remove it all I'm not sure who could."

"I might actually have an idea," Chen said, a spark of realization in her eyes. Darting out of the room, she came back with a rather large cloth-bound book.

"What are you doing with that?" Korra asked sharply. She had never seen the book before, but she had a feeling that it was not meant for public consumption.

Chen's eyes flitted curiously between the Avatar and the book she was holding. "It's Grandpa Aang's personal history-Dad gave it to me for a history paper. Fascinating that you subconsciously recognize it-perhaps you're more in touch with your Avatar spirit than you think." She carefully thumbed through the pages until she stopped and showed the current Avatar an image at the beginning of a chapter.

Korra knit her brows. Done in watercolor and black calligraphy ink, the painting depicted a child-aged Aang dumbfoundedly watching a small girl in a familiar daixushian petting a white winged boar. The two were in a shady grove of some sort, and Aang was ankle deep in what looked like either grass or muddy water. "This shows your grandparents meeting at your ancestral estate-it's beautiful, but I'm not sure how it will help me. I can't access my past life with Aang, remember?"

"That's not our ancestral estate," Chen replied. "And they don't know each other at this point."

"I don't understand-then what's going on here?"

"It's the first time Aang learned about Toph," Chen explained. Lin bristled in anticipation of the upcoming story. "He had gotten separated from Sokka and Katara in the spirit swamp, and while alone saw a vision of my grandmother with her family's white winged boar. The thing about the spirit swamp is that it shows you...things. Things that were, things that are, and things that have yet to be."

"That's cool and all, but what does this have to do with me?"

"Chen, a word please?" Lin said as she moved to exit the bedroom. The teen nodded and hugged Korra before leaving the room with her mother. Korra strained to hear the conversation outside her door.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lin asked, her voice low and accusatory.

"Trying to help the Avatar the best way I can think of," Chen replied, crossing her arms. "She's really sick, and I'm not sure how much longer she can hold on like this."

"You think I don't know that?" Lin said, her anger rising. "Do you have any idea how terrifying it was to find Korra crumpled on our doorstep? I thought she had _died_!"

The police chief angrily batted away her tears as Chen pulled her mother into a hug. "I missed her too, Mama," she said softly, tears trickling down her face.

Lin sniffled and pulled away, trying in vain to pull herself together. Spirits, she had missed the Avatar so much it had hurt. While Tonraq and Senna sent her frequent updates, it wasn't the same as seeing Korra's bright blue eyes light up whenever Lin showed her how to metalbend. Looking at the once vibrant Avatar struggle to even lift her head scared her; she needed help, and soon. Eyes red, she turned to her daughter. "So the swamp, huh?"

Chen nodded, her face serious. "It's our best shot for healing her. If Auntie Kya and Gran-gran couldn't do it, and you nor Auntie Su can get the rest of the metal out, then I don't think we have any other options."

Lin nodded. Her daughter had a point; if the world's best healers hadn't completely healed the Avatar, then they needed to find help somewhere else. Plus the swamp was close to the ancestral estate and to Zaofu, in case they ran into trouble. "How do you propose getting there, exactly? Wait, how do you expect me to explain this to your father?"

"I'll use Berry," Chen said, referring to the sky bison Tenzin kept for her. "I was going to fly her tomorrow anyways to celebrate the start of summer vacation. As for Dad, just tell him that I'm going to the swamp for the weekend to get in touch with my spiritual self. That should stop him from questioning us too closely."

"Will do," the police chief said, pulling her daughter into a hug. "Now get some sleep-you and Korra have a long day ahead."

* * *

Sure enough, Tenzin didn't question Lin once. Thrilled that Chen was taking her spirituality lessons more seriously, he ecstatically waved her off, not questioning once the oddly shaped sleeping bag she had brought with her. Korra slept almost the entire trip, as she was still exhausted from from her journey into Republic City. By the time she awoke from her third nap, she found herself shaded by a dense layer of foliage.

"Ah Korra, perfect timing," Chen said, helping the Avatar down the saddle. "We just landed. Welcome to the spirit swamp." Korra looked around. There was nothing particularly interesting about it; with its muddy ground, dense trees, and sticky atmosphere filled with buzzing insects, it seemed like every other swamp. Still, if Chen brought her here there must be a good reason.

Quietly the group trudged on, looking for a place to make camp. Desperate to distract herself from the pain building up, Korra turned to her companion. "So Lin told me you're going to play for the bending team at your school. That's pretty exciting, right?"

"It is," Chen said, smiling. "I know Dad's not exactly happy because he doesn't like competitive bending and he wants me to focus on my music, but I really enjoy it. Plus, I get to spend more time with Nanuq, which is always fun."

"Nanuq?" Korra asked, a mischievous grin on her face. "Do I sense a crush?"

"Perhaps," the teen responded, slightly blushing. "He's a waterbender, he's really nice, and he's super smart, too."

"A waterbender, huh? Looks like I'll have to meet him one-on-one. Once I'm better, of course."

Chen smiled and was about to speak when the mud around their ankles solidified. She tried bending it off but it stubbornly stayed put. "What in the spirits?" She muttered.

In a matter of seconds Korra and Chen found themselves dragged into the mouth of a large tree. The mud receding, the Avatar positioned the teen behind her. "What do you want with us?" Korra, her breathing ragged.

"To protect you two from the mosquitoes," an unfamiliar voice answered. "Surely you all know better than to travel to a swamp during the summer?"

Korra looked up, her eyes adjusting to the inside of the dark tree. There was a skylight, a small kitchen, a bed, and a woman cooking something over an open fire. "How did you know we were out there?"

"I'm pretty tapped into the going-ons around here," the old woman responded, adding seasonings into her pot. "What brings you to the swamp?"

"Korra needs a healer," Chen responded, drawing closer to Korra. "Is that you?"

"Beats me," the woman said lackadaisically. "But the Avatar must be in trouble if she's taking healing advice from a metalbender. You sure Sugar Queen can't help?"

Korra, startled, stood up and began walking towards their mysterious captor. "You recognize me?"

"In a manner of speaking," the woman replied. "We were good friends in your previous life."

Korra drew a small red flame into her palm to find a barefoot old woman in front of her. "I don't believe it," she said, astonished. "Toph?"

The legendary metal bender chuckled. "It's nice to see you again, Twinkletoes."


	14. Chapter 14

As always, a MILLION thanks to user J. H. L. Z. N. T. L. for being my beta reader and contributing to the dialogue (especially in the conference room!)! You're the best!

Some of the dialogue used is taken directly from the show, as such I cannot take credit for those portions!

Enjoy :)

* * *

Korra stood in shock at the legendary metalbender before her. "It's really you," she breathed. "It's been such a long time."

Toph chuckled. "You could say that, Avatar." Her lips quirking into a smile, she turned in the general direction of Chen. "And don't think I don't know who you are, missy. You walk the same way your mother does, or would if you weren't part airbender. Guess Twinkletoes doesn't apply to just the Air Nomads anymore."

Chen's eyes widened. "You know that I'm your granddaughter? How?"

"I can see everything from this swamp," Toph said mysteriously. "But you're not here for a family reunion, are you? You're here to figure out how to get that metal out of the Avatar's body."

Korra looked quizzically at the elder. "You can feel it too? How is that possible? Chen was the one who noticed, if it hadn't been for her I'm not sure what I would have done."

"Hmmm, so you also sensed it," Toph murmured, gazing approvingly in Chen's direction. "There's hope for my daughters yet if they taught you how to bend."

The teen narrowed her eyes. "You do realize that Auntie Su bent most the metal out right? She literally saved the Avatar and the Avatar cycle."

"Yeah yeah," her grandmother said, drily waving Chen off. "Lin and Su are talented, sure, but they never did quite grasp the nuances of metalbending."

Chen's mouth hardened into a line. Would it _kill_ her grandmother to acknowledge her daughters' prowess? Korra was oblivious to Chen's annoyance; she was just thrilled that Toph might know how to help her. "So you can get the metal out, right? Make me better again?"

"Can I get the metal-the insolence!" Toph said, appalled. "I ought to slap it out of you for that comment-can I get the metal out, humph! Go lie down on the bed, let's get this over with so you two can get out of my hair."

Grinning, Korra bounded over to the bed and laid down on it. Toph cracked her neck and fingers before lifting her hands over Korra. The minute she moved her fingers Korra sat up ramrod straight, yelling in pain. The legendary earthbender rolled her eyes, forced Korra to relax, and barely moved her hand when the Avatar started screaming again. Frustrated, Toph threw her hands up. "That's it! If you want the metal out, you're going to have to do it yourself. Clearly you want it in there."

"What?" Korra said, aghast. "That's ridiculous! Why would I want poison inside of me?"

"I don't know! Maybe so you have an excuse not to go back to being the Avatar. If you don't get better, you can't do your job, so you don't have to worry about getting hurt again!"

Korra was about to reply when she saw Chen stalk angrily towards her grandmother. "So what? In the past four years she's lost and regained her bending, lost and regained her Avatar spirit, and was nearly killed along with the Avatar cycle with the metal that's currently in her body. Can you blame her for not wanting to get hurt again?"

"I'm not dealing with a whiny teen," Toph said, annoyed. "Go to sleep, you two. You can choose either the bed or to make your own from the earth. Take your pick."

The Avatar was about to move when Chen joined her on the bed, staring down her blind grandmother the entire time. Toph simply harrumphed and made her own bed from earth far away from the two, counting down the minutes until she could be alone again.

* * *

The next morning found the girls up bright and early. Toph had taken to apprising the Avatar's physical abilities; as it turned out, Korra was physically sound, despite the metal in her system. At the rate the two were going, Chen figured Korra would sweat out the metal. Korra sent all the elements towards the founder of metalbending, but Toph simply launched the Avatar high into the air with a column of mud. Dusting herself off, she sent water streams towards the elder but Toph once again sent the Avatar flying away with a mud wave. Frustrated and exhausted, Korra stood up and got into a fighting stance. "Are you testing me, or are you just looking for someone to throw around like a rag doll?"

"Why not both?" Toph said, grinning wickedly. "The swampbenders out here really can't take a punch."

Taking a break, Korra slouched to the tree stump where Chen was sitting. Curious, she turned to the elder. "So...what exactly made you want to drop out and disconnect from the world?"

"Disconnect? I'm more connected to the world than you've _ever_ been! The roots and vines...they run all over the world. I can see Su and Lin, Zaofu and Republic City. I see _everything_ ," Toph replied. "You're blind compared to me."

Chen furrowed her brows. ' _I see everything?' What does that even mean?_ By the time she looked up, she found Korra dragging herself to her side of the sparring area against Toph. Quickly she ran, forced Korra to sit on the nearest tree stump, and took her place instead against her grandmother. Sensing the change in heartbeats, the legendary metalbender's face split into a wide grin. "So you want to go up against your grandmother? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Better than letting you throw the Avatar around," Chen retorted.

"So you decided to step up instead?" her grandmother asked. "I see you got Lin's self-sacrificing streak. Don't think I won't treat you differently."

"I expect nothing less," Chen said, narrowing her eyes as she sunk down into a fighting position.

Smirking, Toph launched a wave of mud at the teen, which she easily deflected with the wave of her hand. Solidifying the mud around her feet, Chen skated towards her grandmother as she spun to avoid the projectiles her grandmother hurled her way. "Really? Did Twinkletoes Junior teach you how to fight?" Toph said tauntingly. "I thought you were a Beifong."

Faced with a fleet of sharp stone knives, she compressed the stone into a large boulder, spun around, and sent it towards Toph at an alarmingly fast rate. It was only through the legendary metalbender's reflexes that she was able to throw up a mud shield before it hit her. Chen grinned and put her hands on her hips. "You were saying?"

Toph growled, and with a stomp of her foot threw her granddaughter so high into the air she got tangled in a canopy of vines. The teen began to struggle against the oppressive plants, but stopped when she saw the elder walking away. _She thinks I can't fight back because I'm stuck up here. Let's see her take on this!_ With a shake of her hands, she trapped a surprised Toph tightly in an earth mound and pushed her into a dumbfounded Korra, who fell off the tree root where she was sitting in shock.

"Spirits alive, I'm getting rusty," Toph commented, breaking herself out. "Well done, kid."

"Yeah, well done," Korra said weakly, shakily standing up before her feet gave out from under her. Gasping, Chen bent mud up to where she was trapped and used it to cut herself loose, landing effortlessly on the ground. Testing the Avatar's pulse, she carried her back to their bed and watched over her anxiously for a few hours to ensure that Korra's condition wouldn't change for the worse, Once she was convinced that Korra was fine, Chen stormed out of the tree stump to find her grandmother calmly meditating outside.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chen asked, anger entering her voice. "Korra has a ton of metal in her body, and instead of getting it out you're using her as your personal punching bag!"

"Look, if she doesn't want that metal out of her, there's nothing I can do," Toph said, kicking her feet up on a rock ottoman.

"Nothing you can-!" Chen sputtered. "I have no training in healing using metalbending, but even _I_ was able to extract some of the metal from the Avatar's body! If I could, I would get the rest of it out myself but I can't-why else do you think we're in this infernal swamp?"

"You got some of the metal out without training _and_ without killing her in the process?" Toph asked, her tone betraying her curiosity. "Hmm, perhaps you're a decent bender yet."

"Really? That's what you have to say?" Chen said, frustrated. "Korra needs help and that's your takeaway?"

"If Korra doesn't want to take the metal out, then I'm not taking the metal out," Toph said, an edge to her voice. "That's something she needs to do herself. Now you can either wait for that to happen or you can leave, take your pick."

Glaring at her grandmother, Chen stormed off to feed Berry and make her comfortable before returning to Korra. There was no way she leaving the Avatar unattended, not with Toph as their guardian.

* * *

It had been three days since Chen and Korra had left. Shouldn't they be back by now?

Lin trusted the girls, of course; if Korra needed extra time, then she needed extra time. But she cursed herself for not making them take a portable radio, just in case. It probably wouldn't have worked in that infernal swamp, but just the thought of them having one would have made her feel much better, especially considering how terribly Prince Wu's coronation had gone; Kuvira had refused to give up her control over the Earth Kingdom and was declaring herself the Earth _Empress_ , whatever that mess was about.

Poor Mako. And he thought he was done guarding Prince Wu.

The police chief entered the conference room, finding and sitting with Tenzin to share a quick bite before the world leaders' meeting started. They had gone through painstaking lengths to keep it from Kuvira and Wu; the last thing they needed was for Kuvira to hear their ideas on how to depose her, or the idiot Prince Wu accidentally spilling the details of the meeting. Tenzin smiled as she settled herself across from him. "Dumpling?"

Lin rolled her eyes and accepted the proffered bite before settling into conversation with the airbending master. Ever since they had returned home from the Northern Air Temple all those years ago, Tenzin and Lin had decided to patch up their relationship for the sake of their daughter. They originally decided to meet once a week for lunch, but now had expanded it to lunches, Sunday dinner with the entire family at Air Temple Island, and (depending on who was free) even Wednesday afternoon tea with Chen. Though she would never admit it, those times were often the high points of her week. Tenzin was one of the few people she could speak freely with, something she had sorely missed during their icy period. She even found herself liking his airbender children-she had a soft spot for Jinora, as the girl reminded her so much of Chen.

"Did you talk to Tonraq before the ceremony?" Tenzin asked, making small talk. "He told me that Korra is sailing to Republic City soon. Can you imagine? The Avatar will be back with us at last."

"Oh she showed up Friday night," she said absentmindedly, hoping her blasé attitude wouldn't prompt questioning. "I would have told you, but Chen found out and picked her up on Berry-she wanted Korra to join her on her spiritual retreat. There's no better spiritual guide than the Avatar, right?"

Tenzin would have questioned her more had three red-clad officials not walked up to them. "Lin Beifong and Master Tenzin talking together at last? Has the Fire Nation frozen over, or am I imagining things?"

The two swiveled to find Fire Nation Izumi crossing her arms and smirking, her father and an lookalike Fire Nation military officer flanking her. Tenzin reddened as Lin uncharacteristically beamed. "Lord Zuko, Fire Lord Izumi, Crown Princess Mizuki," she greeted, bowing deeply. "It is a pleasure to see you all again."

The three returned her greeting, after which they all broke out into wide grins. "Spirits, such a formal greeting for my daughter," Lord Zuko said teasingly. "You've been friends for at least a lifetime! Tenzin, get over here and say hi to your niece! Or are you still too busy dying of embarrassment from being seen with your former lady?"

"UNCLE!" Lin said, blushing. Tenzin quirked his lips into a smile before bowing to the three royals, drawing the Crown Princess into a tight hug, and settling into his seat next to Lin and Suyin at the conference table. Though their fathers were great friends, Bumi and Izumi didn't really know each other until they were assigned to the same squadron of the United Forces, where Izumi was a military attaché and Bumi a lieutenant. She was admittedly intrigued by the boisterous son of the Avatar, and found herself equally drawn to his fun-loving, carefree ways and repulsed by his drunken benders. That being said, his devotion, kindness, and loyalty to his men and selflessness in battle caused Izumi to fall deeply in love with the man. Two years after formally meeting she married him in a ceremony attended only by her parents, the Avatar and his family, and Toph Beifong and her girls. Not long after that she gave birth to their son, Iroh, who was his parents' pride and joy. Because of the nature of their work, Izumi kept things private; it was also due to their work that they began drifting apart. While the impending arrival and birth of Mizuki sparked a rather passionate reconciliation, Bumi's involvement in the Air Nation was already unraveling their relationship once more. Izumi figured she should be more worried, but she viewed their love as if it were a flame; stronger than a volcano at some points, weaker than a candlestick at others, but still there nonetheless. Besides, it's not like she had time to pine after him; she had a nation to run.

After everyone took their seats, Raiko cleared his throat to speak. "Welcome, everyone. So I think we all know why we're here today-we need to figure out how to quickly and peacefully transition Kuvira out of power."

"I don't think peacefully transitioning someone who just declared herself empress will be feasible considering she's brought a large portion of her army to Republic City," Suyin noted, her brow furrowing. "The only way to make this transition is by force. I say we lock her away for overstepping her bounds and place Wu on the throne IMMEDIATELY!"

"We do have a secret empty prison in the frozen tundra that is in dire need of a resident," Northern Water Tribe Chieftain Desna noted dully.

"Perhaps we could place her there? It would near impossible for her to escape given the location deep in an icy gorge." Eska offered.

"We can replace the metal cage with specially treated cherry wood that isn't affected by moisture."

"Which is already low considering the temperature…"

"Is there a way to deal with her that doesn't involve imprisonment?" Raiko asked, rubbing his temples in dismay. "Despite her aggressive stance she _has_ brought stability to the Earth Kingdom when it was desperately needed. At the very least she deserves credit for that."

"Stability at what cost?" Fire Lord Izumi argued. "If the rumors are true, her methods of subjugating unruly territories are no different from those of my forefathers and include heavy taxation, forced labor and imprisonment for any dissenters. She must answer for that, at the very least."

"I agree with the Fire Lord," Tenzin said, clasping his hands together. "My airbenders have personally seen what happens to states if they do not initially agree to join the Earth Empire, and it is exactly how the Fire Lord has described it. Kuvira needs to be stopped."

Tonraq turned to Suyin. "If you were to hypothetically ask Kuvira to step down, would she listen?"

"Doubt it, but I can try," the Zaofu matriarch sighed as she stood to leave, displeased by the thought of diplomacy. The other members of the meeting stood and bowed, signalling the adjournment of the meeting.

Izumi pulled Lin to the side as they watched the Zaofu matriarch storm down the hallway. "Do you really think Suyin has the best patience and temperament to be dealing with Kuvira?"

"Oh absolutely not, she's more temperamental than your father," Lin replied. She had half a mind to call for backup; if the hotel was still standing after their conversation, it would be a miracle.

Kuvira, in the meantime, had been in the middle of a nice conversation with Bolin when she felt the door slam. "We need to talk," Suyin said menacingly.

"Can you give us the room please?" Kuvira commanded. Bolin all but sprinted out the door, desperate not to get between the two women.

After watching the door close, Suyin turned to her former foster daughter. "I met with the world leaders, and I've come as their representative."

"So _now_ you're taking an interest in world affairs," Kuvira replied, sarcasm dripping with every word. "A little late, isn't it? When the queen fell, and everyone was asking you to help keep the Earth Kingdom from imploding, all you wanted to do was hide in Zaofu and let others deal with the consequences."

"That's hardly fair," Suyin said, making every effort to keep up her mask of serenity. "I didn't want to seize power, which is what you've done. I'm telling you for the good of everyone, you have to step down."

"Step down? I stepped _up_ ," Kuvira countered. "I provide stability and equality. That's more than I could say for you all at the moment. Tell your world leaders to stay out of Earth Empire business. We won't accept their hand-picked puppet."

Suyin wordlessly turned on her heel and strode out of the room, partially congratulating herself for not metalbending the woman to the wall. _Where is Korra when you need her?_ She thought, opening the conference room door to deliver the news. "As expected, Kuvira refused to stand down. She is under the impression that…"

* * *

Korra, as it turns out, was still with Chen and Toph in the middle of the swamp.

Finally picking up on the tension between grandmother and granddaughter, she had taken to asking questions about Toph's experience teaching Aang, how she ended the Hundred Year War, and even how she started the Metalbending Police Force in Republic City. Each question was answered with three sentences at most; with every question, the Avatar could feel Chen's temper rising. When she began the fourth question, Toph pushed her hand and sent the ground under Korra's feet flying. "Quit asking so many damn questions and do something productive for once! Why don't you go find some mushrooms for dinner-the slimer they are, the tastier they'll be!"

Groaning in disgust, Korra took up a basket and left. Once the Avatar's footsteps faded away, the legendary metalbender looked in Chen's general direction. "And you? What's your problem?"

"You know, I kept thinking about your comment about how you can see everything using the vines, so I touched one just to see what you were talking about," Chen said, her fury simmering. "Imagine my surprise when I saw my mother going about her job."

Toph crossed her arms, her mouth drawing into a hard line.

"You can see _everything_ from here, and yet you do nothing! Where were you when Mama was nearly killed by a combustionbender? Where were you when she lost her bending? Heck, where were you when Mom was dumped by Dad while she was pregnant with me? I'm not that much younger than Wing and Wei and yet they have memories with you in Zaofu. Why didn't you ever return to Republic City? Did you just _decide_ that my mother wasn't worth your time?" Chen asked, seething.

"If you think everything is so black and white, then you have a lot to learn, Sweetness. There are two sides to every story!" Toph yelled, aching to bend a rock at the insolent teen."Our relationship had been strained ever since that damn fall-out with Suyin. When Aang died, she decided she didn't want me in her life anymore. Pain in my ass or not, she's still my daughter and I wanted her to be happy. If that meant leaving her life forever AS SHE ASKED ME TO, then that's what I'll do. So, I left."

"And you just never looked back? Never thought twice? Never thought that _maybe_ she was just hurt, and angry, and said things she didn't mean in the heat of the moment?" Chen said, astounded at what she was hearing. "My mom was ALL ALONE hoping SOMEBODY cared enough to at least see if she was still breathing after she had me in Gaoling. If you really could see everything, you'd have known she wanted you back. In all the letters she was writing-"

"I could see the text through the vines of the banyan tree, sure, but I never learned what each of those blobs of ink on parchment actually meant. If she really wanted me, really needed me, she would've said something," Toph grumbled, fumbling with the charred blocks of wood in the oven in her cave to heat a pot of tea.

"Maybe a better gesture of love would be acknowledging your daughter's words may not be so black and white either. Maybe she's grayer than you think and doesn't always explicitly say what she means. Maybe she would be more willing to forgive you if you showed that you genuinely cared!"

Toph simply grunted, leaving her pot be to go find the Avatar. She was taking way too long with those mushrooms…

* * *

Why on earth would Toph enjoy living here?

On her journey to find those slimy mushrooms she saw Amon taking away her bending, Raava being violently ripped from her body, and Zaheer poisoning her. Struggling to breathe, Korra tried meditating only to find visions still plaguing her. It was in the middle of her meditation session that she heard two sets of feet walk up. Cracking open an eye, she relaxed and gestured for Toph and her granddaughter to sit. "Sorry I haven't gotten the mushrooms yet," she apologized, throwing an arm over Chen's shoulder. "I think I walked through some swamp gas. I had visions of all the times my enemies hurt me."

"Yeah, I figured that might happen," Toph said nonchalantly. Both girls turned to the elder in confusion.

"What? You _wanted_ me to see those visions?" Korra said, shocked. "You are one twisted lady."

"Look, I do want you to get better, and so does the swamp! You just have to be open to listening." Toph said. Korra nodded and motioned for the earthbender to go on. "Listen, all your past enemies wanted something. Amon wanted equality, Unalaq wanted the spirits back, and Zaheer ached for true freedom. The only thing is, their ideologies were way out of balance! The only reason they're still haunting you is because you never faced your fear of them. You can't deal with the future if you're still working through your past."

"Maybe so," Korra said, looking down at the mud below her. "But then how am I supposed to move on?"

Toph felt herself rolling her eyes. "You Avatars need so much hand-holding. Get up, you two! We're going to the banyan tree." Korra and Chen scrambled to get up and follow the sprightly elder to the trunk of the banyan tree. "Go on, have a try."

Looking at Chen, Korra hesitantly put her hand on the tree. Suddenly images of her friends flashed before her eyes. There was Asami, ever beautiful, sitting and feeding turtleducks at Avatar Korra park; there was Bolin, talking with Kuvira and Junior as they puzzled over a map of the Earth Kingdom; there was even Mako, grimacing as he followed some Earth Kingdom royal on what seemed like an extravagant shopping trip. There was even an image of her parents walking hand-in-hand through the Southern Water Tribe cultural center in Republic City. She smiled, tears of joy running down her face; she felt more herself than she had in a _very_ long time. Removing her hand, she turned around to find a content Chen and Toph staring in her general direction in approval.

"Now what did you see?" Toph asked knowingly.

"I saw my friends and family, even though they're so far away."

"Exactly!" Toph exclaimed. "You can't move on alone, Avatar, that's why you have your friends and family to help."

Korra nodded. One of the main reasons she had sequestered herself in the South Pole was so she could heal on her own. But Toph was right; she couldn't do this, not on her own. Spirits, if it hadn't been for Chen she wouldn't even be here getting healed. It was time to return to Republic City, and help the world she had isolated herself from for so long. "You right," she said. "But there is one last thing that I have to do."

Twenty minutes later Korra found herself in Toph's tree stump, preparing to bend the metal out. Chen watched in awe as small droplets emerged from Korra's body into one large mass. When she was finished, her eyes flashed the characteristic luminescent white of the Avatar state. The legendary metalbender trapped the poison in a hollow rock and sealed it. "Well done, Korra."

The Avatar grinned and hugged Toph, which took her back by surprise. The elder turned to find her youngest granddaughter hugging her as well. Quirking her lips into a smile, she gently patted the teen on her back. "Take care of yourself, kid."

"You too, Grandma," she said as she began gathering her things. "C'mon Korra. I think it's time we head to Gaoling."

"I wouldn't do that," Toph said. The two girls looked at her perplexedly. "Go to Zaofu. You're a few days late returning to Lin's care, and the only person who can calm her down at this point is Suyin." Nodding, the girls said their goodbyes last time before running out to Berry and flying to Su's state, hoping to mitigate Lin's infamous wrath.


	15. Chapter 15

As always, shout out to user J. H. L. Z. N. T. L. for being my beta reader and for contributing some of the dialogue, and especially the fight scene! Seriously, I can't thank you enough!

Some of the dialogue is taken from the show-those portions belong to Nickelodeon. One could dream, right?

Let me know what you think! Enjoy! :)

* * *

"So I never really asked you what's happened these last three years," Korra commented, gazing at the rising sun from Berry's saddle.

"I mean, we talked about Nanuq," Chen shrugged. "But sure, I'll give you a refresher. While you've been gone Asami reworked all of Republic City's infrastructure to incorporate the spirit vines, Mako became the personal bodyguard for Prince Wu of the Earth Kingdom, and Bolin began work as an officer in Kuvira's army, which has taken over most of the Earth Kingdom by this point."

"Most?" Korra said, her eyebrow raised. "Who's holding out?"

"Gaoling and Zaofu, of course," Chen replied, darkly grinning. Despite the Earth Empire's best tries, they had yet to usurp the Beifongs' control over their city-states. As soon as they crossed the mountains protecting her aunt's state, the girls gasped. The entirety of Kuvira's army was stationed outside of the metal lotuses. "Hang tight Korra, this is going to get bumpy!" Chen pulled on Berry's reins and sped through Zaofu, Korra's knuckles turning white as she desperately held on. Bumpily landing by Huan's sculpture gardens, the girls ran through the cavernous main building, following the sound of Lin and Suyin's voices. Panicked, they burst into Suyin's office find the Zaofu Beifongs clustered around the radio, the police chief thoroughly upbraiding her younger sister. Su was desperately trying to calm her younger sister, and, needless to say, it was not going well.

"Lin, the swamp is a spiritual place, it will protect the girls," Suyin said, trying to soothe her older sister. "I promise you, they will be safe."

"Fine? _Fine?_ You have an entire _army_ on your doorstep, and the swamp isn't too far away! Who's to say that they won't make a detour?" Lin shrieked. "Send Opal, send Wei and Wing, hell, send _Huan_ out and go get my girls!"

"There's no need for that Mama, I assure you," Chen said, Korra flanking her as they both strode into Su's office. Suyin launched herself at the girls and gave them both backbreaking hugs, pressing a flurry of kisses to Chen's forehead. Deathly silence emanated from the radio.

"Chen Mei-yin Beifong, that better not be you," Lin said, her voice deathly calm.

"And yet here I am," Chen retorted sarcastically. The police chief slammed the receiver, static crackling throughout the entire office. Shocked, Opal turned to her cousin. "Wha-we were in the middle of talking! And she just hangs up? What's that supposed to mean?"

"She's coming," Chen answered. "Spirits help us all."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Suyin asked. In front of her were Korra and Chen, the former dressed in spare robes from Opal's closet while the latter wore one of her favorite cheongsams she kept in her guest room at the estate. Both had been all but pushed into hot showers, after which Baatar ensured that the girls were fed breakfast ("I shudder to think of what you two ate out there," he said, placing a third serving of papaya salad on their overflowing plates. If Huan could have rolled his eyes more, he would have.).

"It can't hurt to try," Korra said. "She saved my Dad, and Zaofu is her home. I think she can be reasoned with."

"Right," Suyin replied, unconvinced. "And you, Chen? Why are you going, exactly?"

"Because we need to deal with Kuvira BEFORE my mother comes charging in," Chen answered while sliding a pair of gold barrettes into her hair. "Besides, as far as I know, Kuvira still likes me. That has to count for something. Either way Auntie Su, call for Junior to come get us. We need to neutralize this threat, and fast."

Twenty minutes later, the two found themselves being escorted through the Earth Empire camp to where Kuvira was located. Unsurprisingly, it was well organized; the entire camp was meticulously set in a grid pattern, and the areas around the officers' tents even had rudimentary street signs. Chen was still examining her surroundings when she heard Junior clear his throat. "We have some unexpected guests. The Avatar and a companion are here to see you."

"A companion that happens to be your cousin, in case you were stupid enough to forget," Chen growled at the man. He frowned. "Trust me, I'm not all that proud either."

Finishing signing an order, Kuvira turned to the group before her. Korra really _was_ there; she was wearing one of Opal's old robes, sure, but there was no mistaking those cyan eyes. "Korra, it's an honor to see you," the Great Uniter said, truly pleased to see the Avatar healthy at last. "Last I heard, you were still healing in the South Pole."

"Well, I'm much better now," Korra replied. Kuvira nodded, a small smile on her lips before turning to the teen next to her. She studied the girl; tall with a lithe build and angular features, it was clear that she was part of the Beifong clan. Spirits, had that tiny metalbender who kicked her ass outside Laghima's Peak grown up already? "Chen Beifong, as I live and breathe," she said, a genuine smile spreading across her face as she clasped the girl's shoulder. "It's so good to see you."

"And you," Chen responded politely, stilling under Kuvira's touch. "Though I do wish it were under better circumstances. Is there anywhere that we can speak privately?"

Kuvira inclined her head in acknowledgement and led the two to her personal tent. It was larger than Chen expected; there was a sitting area centered around a map built into a living room table, and another space with bookshelves and reference documents. Kuvira's desk was in the center, in front of which were two chairs. The Great Uniter gestured for Korra and Chen to sit as she settled herself behind her desk. "So what brings you to our humble camp, Avatar? Or was it you, Chen, who decided to come? Your skills would be invaluable to the cause."

Korra cut Chen off before she could answer. "We're actually here to ask you to back down. We can't let you take Zaofu, not on our watch."

Kuvira clasped her hands and rested them on her desk. "I have been tasked with bringing stability back to the Earth Kingdom. Why should I stop when I'm only two states away from completing my given assignment? I understand where you both are coming from, I do, but you have no authority to be interfering with internal affairs."

Chen's gaze darted to Kuvira's hands; more specifically, to the platinum band featuring a square-cut emerald flanked by two triangle-cut diamonds. It was stunning but not flashy, which perfectly suited the metalbender. Had circumstances been different, Chen would have squealed out of happiness that one of her role models had _finally_ gotten engaged. But that was then, and this was now, now when she had driven an entire army to her aunt's doorstep. Kuvira picked up on Chen's hesitation and gave the teen a small smile. "I guess Baatar didn't tell you about our engagement?"

Chen shook her head. "No, but to be fair it wasn't that long a trip from the family lotus. Are you two happy together, at least?"

"We are," Kuvira replied, her fingers softly brushing the cool metal against her skin. Korra's eyes darted between the two silent earthbenders, a world left unsaid between them. Delicately Korra cleared her throat. "I don't want to interrupt you two, but regarding Zaofu-"

"Right," Chen said, uncharacteristically flustered. "Look, as much as you want us to stay out of your internal business, it's kind of hard to ignore the giant army on our doorstep, _especially_ if you have the intention of harming innocent civilians in your attempt to take my aunt's state."

"No, that's the last thing I want," Kuvira promised, reaching out as if to comfort the teen. "How about this-let's call a truce. I'll give you a day for Suyin to come to her conclusion about the Earth Empire."

"Make it three," Chen stated. "My mini-trip with Aunt Su is almost up, and Mom's picking me up tomorrow. Since she technically co-rules Gaoling with my aunt, she needs a day to decide as well."

Kuvira thought for a moment and then nodded. With a wave of her hand Kuvira sent the girls out, calling after them that she would see them soon. As soon as the girls were alone on the train, Korra turned to Chen. "You need to tell me everything you know right now regarding Kuvira. What on earth happened? I thought she was family!"

"The Earth Kingdom's newest Chin the Conqueror has been a long time coming-though I wouldn't tell my aunt that if I were you," Chen said. Looking around to make sure the Metal Clan guards weren't listening, she continued. "Kuvira's relationship with my aunt has always been...interesting. My aunt took her in when she was eight after her parents abandoned her, but from what I can tell she never felt at home-her interactions with my aunt were always stilted, maybe because of her job as the head of security? I never quite understood why she worked that job anyways if she was under Auntie Su's care, especially since none of the other cousins worked save for Junior, but I digress. As for the Earth Empire-that's probably better explained by my aunt, not me."

Korra nodded, gazing at the teen. Chen was tightly hugging herself as she looked out the windows towards her aunt's estate. "Seeing her again was hard, wasn't it?"

"More than you can comprehend," Chen softly answered as she disembarked from the train. "I looked up to Kuvira from the moment I met her all those years ago. She was smart, she was talented, and honestly, she really cared. When I first stayed at Zaofu, she showed me how to dance using metal because she saw how entranced I was by her rehearsal, and in return I showed her how to play the guzheng after she 'coincidentally' walked by my room every time I practiced. One day we were both really tired and cranky from a performance than ran late, so instead of practicing she made us a picnic where we just sat and talked about everything and anything-as much as it pains me to admit it, it's still one of my favorite memories. I so looked forward to spending more time with her-but then she left, and everything went downhill from there. I miss what could have been more than anything."

Korra wanted to ask more questions but suddenly realized they were already walking into Su's office; the matriarch was already there, reading her newspaper. Upon noticing the girls, she nervously put it down. "What did she say?"

"You have three days before you have to let her know about your decision to join the Earth Empire or not," Korra stated.

"I will never hand over my states!" Suyin declared, her eyes flashing with anger. "I'll call Kuvira right now and tell her as such!"

"No!" Chen yelled, scrambling to grab the radio before her aunt could. "Auntie Su, do you have any idea how badly that will go for us? Kuvira has her _entire army_ waiting for us outside, and while Zaofu has the highest concentration of metalbenders in the Kingdom there's no way we'd be able to hold her off. And once Zaofu goes, so does Gaoling, and then _all_ of the Earth Kingdom will be held by Kuvira!"

"Wait, why do you all even control Gaoling in the first place?" Korra asked, confused. "Why is it even a bad thing that Kuvira runs the Earth Kingdom?"

Su tensely ran her fingers through her hair. "It's a long story, but essentially Lin and I were asked to stabilize the entire Earth Kingdom by Raiko and Tenzin. We both refused-we believed it wasn't our place to interfere. The only reason we even control Gaoling is because it's written in their laws that in times of emergency control reverts to the founding family-which just happens to be the Beifong clan. It wasn't ideal, but after minimal interventions Lin and I were able to stabilize the ancestral seat." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I knew Kuvira was upset with my decision not to help Raiko originally, but I didn't realize how much. She snuck off a month later with Junior, most of my guards, and several of Zaofu's wealthiest citizens to stabilize Ba Sing Se. She successfully did so, and after that the world leaders gave her the job of stabilizing and unifying the Earth Kingdom. She's brutally efficient at it-if a state initially refuses to join, she cuts off their trade routes and makes nearby states under her control raise their tariffs, forcing them to cave in and agree to her accords. Any dissenters are promptly captured and sent to 'trade camps,' which is a kinder way of saying that they do hard labor to repent for their 'crimes.'"

"Which is why you want her as far away from here as possible." Korra surmised.

"Exactly," Suyin said. "Spirits, I hope my sister shows up soon. I need her help more than ever."

* * *

Lin went on autopilot after hearing her daughter's voice.

She remembered telling Saikhan to cover for her while she took care of some urgent personal business. After that, she had stormed to the stables on Air Temple Island to take Oogi, but not before Pema packed her rations and blankets. She'd have to thank her when she returned with Chen and Korra; spirits knew how Tenzin got when he was separated from Oogi for too long. Now, as she sped towards her sister's estate, she hoped that she wasn't too late. Her stomach clenched as she watched the entirety of Kuvira's army stretch into the setting sun, and she wished more than anything that she hadn't let her girls go on that blasted spirit swamp trip, metal in Korra's body or not. As she landed by Huan's sculpture garden she was cautiously optimistic; Juicy and Berry were there grazing on Su's immaculately kept lawn, and her family wouldn't have left them behind. It wasn't until she crashed into Su's living room and saw the entirety of her family (and Korra) safe and sound that she was fully reassured.

"MOM!" Chen yelled, throwing herself at her mother with such force that Lin hooked her metal boots to the ground to keep from falling over. She squeezed her daughter tightly, finding it hard to repress the tears of relief that were coursing down her face. Her daughter was in one piece, and if she had anything to do with it she would stay that way.

"You're okay, thank the spirits you're okay," Lin whispered, pressing kisses to her daughter's head and motioning for Korra to join in their hug. Eyes watery, she turned to her family. "What is happening out there? It's been one week since the meeting in Republic City, and all of a sudden everything turns to shit?"

Su shook her head sadly. "I should have seen it coming-as you well know, my meeting with Kuvira back at the Four Elements did not go smoothly. But we're here now, and we need to figure out how to make her leave as soon as possible!"

"And to think Bolin's helping," Opal interjected, disgusted.

Korra's eyes widened; that wasn't like Bolin to actively hurt others. Was he being duped? "Are you sure he's fully aware of everything that Kuvira does? When I was on the Fire Ferrets with him, he accidentally embroiled himself in a turf war between the three main triads because he thought he was getting to work a few shifts as a private bodyguard."

"Whatever, he's made his decision," Opal muttered, crossing her arms.

"Regardless, we need to get Kuvira off our front door immediately," Bataar said, starting to pace the floor. "She wants an answer in three days, and we need to be prepared for any pushback that could occur."

Lin shot up. "She what?"

"She's given us a three-day truce for us to decide on whether or not to join the Earth Empire," Suyin clarified. "Since that's clearly not going to happen, we need to start evacuating people as soon as possible. Spirits forbid she take over this place-I don't want my citizens being forced into her service."

Lin reached over to firmly clasp her sister's shoulder. "I won't let that happen Su, not if I can help it."

Su leaned into her sister's side. "My poor city," she murmured. "What will become of you?"

* * *

Three days later, everyone dragged themselves to the breakfast table. Su and Lin had worked around the clock secretly evacuating Su's citizens; the only people left were the Avatar, family, and the Metal Clan Guards. Most of Gaoling, much to the sisters' relief, had been evacuated as well. Now all that remained was to eat one last family meal together before the terms of their truce were up. Before Lin could even start on her papaya, Junior came storming through the dining room.

"Where is your decision?" he questioned, his arms crossed. "Kuvira has been more than generous in her truce agreement!"

"Hello to you too, Junior," Suyin replied, pouring her husband another cup of tea.

"How many times do I have to remind you? It's just Baatar now."

"If you're here for the agreement, you're not going to get an answer. If Kuvira wants to know, she's going to have to come up here herself."

"You dare defy the Earth Empress?"

"I think the better question is, she dare defy me?" Suyin responded calmly, delicately taking a bite of pastry. "She may have control of most of the Earth Kingdom, but I still have control over Zaofu and Gaoling. Zaofu has been an autonomous state since its creation-so long as she is on my territory, she must abide by my rules. Now I suggest you leave before I have the guards remove you. Good day."

Su simply took another sip of tea as Junior stalked off to the military camp, loudly cursing and hurling threats at his family. None of the Beifongs batted an eye, and Huan rolled his eyes as he served himself another helping of rice porridge. Korra's focus darted between the different members of the Beifong clan, studiously avoiding Lin's scowl at her continued presence. Mama Beifong had tried forcing her and Chen to leave on Berry, but there was no way Chen was leaving, and if Chen wasn't leaving then the Avatar wasn't either.

"Suyin, I told you I'd come back on my own terms."

Korra turned to find Kuvira striding into the dining room, a smug Junior and anxious Bolin flanking her. Chen's eyes widened as she sensed irregular heartbeats coming from the group, her eyes darting between them and Su. Tapping out a message to her mom asking to check out the irregularities, Lin blanched as she subtly used her seismic sense to map out the heartbeats of everyone nearby. Suyin, however, was oblivious to her sister's actions; she was cooly staring down the person she had raised since she was a young child.

"So you have," the Zaofu matriarch replied, topping her second serving of rice porridge with strips of dried seaweed, peanuts, and some chopped chives. "Would you all care for breakfast? There are even a few petrified eggs left. They were always your favorite, Kuvira."

Bolin excitedly nodded and was already reaching for the bowl Su was offering when Kuvira stopped him. "We are not here to trade war stories over breakfast, we are here because I still haven't heard back from you regarding my offer. I think I've been more than generous in halting all activity, don't you?"

Su smirked. "Depends on how you define 'generous.' Generous would be not subjugating those you consider inferior, not dragging innocent people into your games, and it certainly would not apply to the terms of your agreement."

Kuvira arched an eyebrow. "So I take it you don't agree with my terms?"

"Zaofu and Gaoling will _never_ be under your control if I have anything to say about it!" Su spit out.

Bolin visibly gulped and nervously backed as far away from Kuvira as he could. Kuvira simply chuckled. "Su, when are you going to realize that your pride is getting in the way of joining progress? That's what you espoused all those years: progress and innovation are the _only_ ways to move forward. And yet when I give you that option, you don't want to take it?"

"Your 'progress' is built on others suffering," Su retorted. "That is something I will under no circumstances condone. You've told Bolin what happens after you take over a town right? What _really_ happens in those re-education camps?"

"They learn new trade skills?" Bolin squeaked. Opal narrowed her eyes in response.

"You talk about suffering, yet you completely ignored the distress of the millions of citizens of Ba Sing Se after their queen fell!" Kuvira barked, stalking towards the deceptively calm matriarch. "I understand the Chief not helping due to her duty to Republic City, but you, Suyin? What's your excuse to sit here prettily inside your metal lotuses?"

Su snarled as she jumped over the table to confront her former protegé, but as soon as she touched the ground she found herself encased in her marble floors from the hips down, a stunned and trapped Kuvira trying desperately to free herself. Struggling, the two women turned to find Korra's hand clenched tightly into a fist. Lin was half shocked, half impressed. _She de-escalated a situation without blowing up three city blocks or giving herself up to extremists-looks like her time in the swamp was beneficial in more ways than one._ "Kuvira, I understand that you've had to make a lot of difficult decisions in order to stabilize the Earth Kingdom-I've had to do that myself as the Avatar. But surely you realize that you've put Zaofu in an impossible situation. This is a state that's been stable for the past three years, and will only become unstable the longer you stay here!"

"It's because she wants a fight," Su said evenly. "And I'm _more_ than happy to accept. You and me, Kuvira, one-on-one, open fields outside the lotuses at sunrise."

"Excellent!" Kuvira exclaimed. "If you will, Avatar?"

Shocked, Korra released the two women from their stone prisons. Kuvira quickly bent the dust from her uniform and strode out of the dining room, an impressed Junior and terrified Bolin closely following her. Chen turned to her aunt. "Why are you doing this? Don't you understand that this will just make everything worse?"

"It's something that's should have been done a long time ago," Suyin said cryptically, bending her marble floors back to their original configuration. "If you will excuse me, I have some forms to practice. I'll see you all tomorrow morning, bright and early."

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" Lin asked worriedly as Suyin walked towards her opponent. She and Korra had in vain tried to convince her younger sister to do virtually _anything_ else but spar against Kuvira or surrender, but Su was having none of it. She was going to battle Kuvira for Zaofu, and there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

"Let's see, I have my armor, my metal cables, throwing knives in my gauntlets, unending earth around me…I think I'm good," Su replied blithely. Upon seeing her sister's pained face, she softened. "Lin, I'll be fine. But spirits forbid anything happens, take my family with you on Oogi and Berry. You can worry about me later."

Lin nodded and stepped back, her anxiety rising as her sister faced off against the woman she had known since she was a child. Kuvira strode forward, her chin high. "I'll give you one last chance to accept my very generous offer to grant you and your people citizenship of the Earth Empire and receive all of the benefits that come with it if you meet the conditions outlined in the treaty and contribute your fair share to the country."

"You will never have Zaofu!" Suyin snarled. "Never!"

"Then you leave me no choice." the Earth Empress responded quietly, left leg sliding back into a low, traditional, flat footed stance. Suyin anticipated this; every move, every strategy of Kuvira's had once been hers. Most earthbenders would go straight for the low stance; it's easy to slide the legs together or too far apart so as to throw off the other's balance, but Suyin knew her opponent would be prepared for that. How many afternoons had they spent perfecting recoveries for that very technique? The two women watched each other, never staying in place. For each step one made the other moved in the same direction, the two women remaining equidistant from each other.

"Come on," Chen whispered. They had been dancing around each other for over half an hour; the longer they didn't fight, the more Chen worried Kuvira had something up her sleeve.

"Quiet!" Lin hissed at her daughter, watching her sister carefully.

Both the Master and her protege simultaneously struck each other in an explosive clash that sent both sliding back several yards. Suyin ran forward, flinging a flurry of daggers towards the earthbender. Disorienting her opponent, she latched a strip onto an ankle and the opposite wrist before flinging her former charge sideways.

While in mid air, the Great Uniter slid the earth to the side and bent several metal strips from her armbands into the shape of a single fist, punching her former teacher as she fell sideways. Both recovered quickly, Suyin snarling as she got back on her feet.

"Looks like you're a little off your game, Suyin," Kuvira taunted, jumping around to keep herself on her toes.

In response, Suyin bent earthen walls on either side of Kuvira with the intent to crush her. The Great Uniter jumped, taking command of one of the slabs of rock and hurling it towards the matriarch of Zaofu. Suyin sunk into the ground, disappearing from view as the slab smashed into a million fragments.

Suyin reappeared right beside the wall Kuvira stood on and kicked high, tilting the entire wall and sending the Empress tumbling down towards the earth.

"You were saying?" Su retorted, arching an eyebrow.

They were now close in proximity, much too close for Lin's comfort. Kuvira bent a sword out of her gauntlet, charging forward with clear and precise swings to the head, torso and leg. Had it been anyone else Kuvira would have easily turned the bout in her favor, but Suyin knew the sword was the woman's favorite weapon for close quarters combat. Once she was in range, Suyin grabbed the sword's blade and bent it, throwing her former pupil a nice distance away. She bent the metal off her gauntlets and shins to make a staff, which she used to block the strips of metal the Great Uniter was bending from her back plate.

"More weaponry?" Su asked sarcastically. "Oh Kuvira, you shouldn't have!"

Suyin bent her staff into a belt for storage, swept up fallen strips of metal, and sent them on a spiraling, curved trajectory. Kuvira had to do a butterfly jump in order not to get hit, kicking up and rotating horizontally just to miss the blades aimed at her neck and knees. As Kuvira landed, she made a sweeping arch kick and bent an angled pillar aimed right at Suyin's ribs. Suyin flipped over from the force, the wind knocked out of her.

The Great Uniter approached the wheezing matriarch, intending to finish the fight. She lifted three blades off each arm ready to bind the elder, but Suyin recovered quickly and kicked a pillar up, hitting the bottom of the Great Uniter's chin. Simultaneously, Kuvira bent a small boulder into the other side of Suyin's ribs. Taking advantage of her former master's disabled state, Kuvira took control of the armor on Suyin's body and lifted her up, only to slam her down again with a sickening thud.

"Zaofu will be _mine_!" the Earth Empress snarled, releasing her hold on the matriarch's armor. Su rolled over with a grimace of pain, her injuries from the duel catching up to her. Struggling to breathe, she painfully turned to look up at Kuvira. Her opponent snarled as she trapped Suyin in an earth tent, the rock cutting into her shoulders so tightly she could barely move. The Zaofu matriarch glared at Kuvira, daring her to try something.

"Stop!"

The Earth Empress turned around to find Chen crouched in a horse position, eyes narrowed at the woman threatening her aunt. Kuvira reflexively tightened her hold on the earth tent, her focus solely on the teen in front of her. Lin and Korra took one look at each other and sprinted towards Chen, Korra readying a stream of water from the water skin Lin had forced her to carry.

"And _what_ do you think you're doing?" Kuvira asked in a low voice. "This isn't your place!"

"It is when you threaten to take my aunt's home by force and then possibly her life!" Chen retorted, raising up two sizable boulders. Lin and Korra flanked her, just waiting for the moment they could take out their opponent.

Kuvira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If I didn't make myself clear the first time, you have no right to interfere with internal affairs regarding the Earth Empire, despite your ties to a particularly defiant local governor."

"And you have no right to infringe on sovereign city-states but here we are anyways!" Chen snapped back.

The Earth Empress sighed. She _really_ didn't want to hurt Chen. She was a good kid with a good heart-she was only trying to protect her aunt's state, after all-but she was interfering with her directive to unite the Earth Kingdom, and that simply could not happen. With the shake of her fingers she quickly shifted the earth under the teen's feet, sending her tumbling backwards for several yards until she stopped moving, momentarily knocked unconscious by the surprise move.

As Korra slid over to where the girl was and helped her up, Lin turned towards Kuvira, pure fury in her eyes. "How _dare_ you attack my daughter!" Kicking up a large sheet of rock, she pulverized it and pelted the Great Uniter with an intense sandstorm. Forced to protect her eyes, Kuvira bent a tall rock wall, which provided Lin with just enough time to launch herself into the air towards a newly airborne Oogi. Seeing that the chief wasn't going to make it, Korra used a spare metal cable to pull her onto the bison. Much to her relief, she saw Korra, Chen, and Opal all in one piece-relief that soon turned into fear upon realizing the rest of her family was missing.

"Opal, where's everyone else?" Lin asked, anxiety creeping into her voice.

"They're behind us on Juicy and Berry!" Opal chirped. Turning around to wave, her smile faded upon seeing the bisons' empty saddles. Looking down, she was consumed by fear after seeing the rest of her family getting captured by Kuvira as they tried to protect her mother. "We have to save them!" she screamed, readying Oogi to turn around.

"Opal, get out of here! We'll be fine!" Suyin called out, futilely trying to calm her daughter. "Go, save yourselves!"

Lin and Korra restrained Opal, who was kicking and blindly swinging as she desperately tried to jump out of the saddle and fly towards her family. Giving up, she broke down sobbing. "We'll come back for you! I love you!"

The only response she heard was the thunderous cheers of the army as they ravaged her home. Chen barely kept her eyes open as Zaofu faded into the distance; by the time it fully disappeared the teen had fallen asleep, her exhaustion from her injuries overwhelming her. Korra quietly took over Oogi's reins as Opal sobbed into Lin's shoulder, clinging tightly to the only family she had left.


	16. Chapter 16

A MILLION thanks to user J. H. L. Z. N. T. L. for being my beta reader and contributing to the dialogue! You're the best! Seriously, what a great person to bounce ideas off of, this story wouldn't be the same without them!

Some of the dialogue used is taken directly from the show, as such I cannot take credit for those portions!

Enjoy :)

* * *

He didn't hear any warning bells when Lin asked about Oogi. He just thought Lin was being nice, and worrying after Oogi after hearing about his stitches from Ikki. How was he to know that she was planning to steal his own air bison and run off to a war zone?

Tenzin couldn't blame her though. Had he not sworn an oath of nonaggression, he would have joined her in her fight to save Zaofu and the rest of the Beifong family. If Raiko hadn't expressly ordered him to stay put after the coronation debacle he would have joined her in her fight to save Zaofu and the rest of the Beifong family. _It's been three days_ , he thought worriedly. _How much longer can Lin and Su hold Kuvira off?_

His thoughts, however, were interrupted by Mako and Asami laughing over Meelo's antics. Ever since Korra had first arrived in Republic City, Air Temple Island had functioned as its operational and social hub; her three-year absence, in fact, had only amplified the latter role. The day Korra left for the South Pole Tenzin instituted an open-door policy to Mako, Asami, and Bolin; the teens were free to come and go as they please, and even had rooms of their own should they ever want to stay over. The teens were touched and took the airbending master's generosity to heart, visiting the island nearly every day for dinner and sometimes even through to breakfast the next day. Tenzin enjoyed seeing them mature, and appreciated the calming energy they brought to his boisterous middle children. He noticed Meelo acted calmer around his firebending role model, and that ever-chatty Ikki became noticeably more interested in listening to others whenever Asami happened to be nearby. As much as he tried, he couldn't imagine his life without the teens. He considered himself their father-figure, and promised himself that he would do whatever was in his power to keep them safe.

His youngest daughter was in the middle of chattering about her new lemur friend to the interested industrialist when something exciting caught her eye. "DADDY, DADDY, DADDY, LOOK!" she shrieked. "IT'S OOGI AND JUICY AND BERRY!"

Everyone quickly ran to the courtyard. Upon seeing Korra jump off from Oogi, Mako and Asami rushed Korra and trapped her in a tight group hug. Tenzin and the rest of his family moved to join, but the Avatar waved everyone off.

"I'd love to catch up more, really, I would," Korra said apologetically. "But there are more pressing matters that need to be attended to."

Tenzin's brow furrowed, and he was about to start questioning the young woman when an exhausted Opal jumped out of the saddle. Wordlessly she helped her aunt slide down Oogi's tail, cradling Chen in her arms. Much to his consternation, the girl was covered in scabs and bruises, her face betraying pain even in the deepest of sleep. He ran to the police chief and helped her to her feet. "Lin, what _happened_?" he asked, hysteria creeping into his voice.

"We'll talk later," she hissed under her breath, gently shifting her daughter. She turned to an anxious Pema. "Find a healer. Chen needs one immediately." The acolyte wordlessly darted into the dormitories while Lin and Tenzin rushed to the healing bay, a confused and worried group left in their wake.

* * *

"Let me get this straight, my sixteen-year-old niece challenged a literal _dictator_ to fight her so she would stop attacking Suyin? And only injuries she's sustained are bruises, cuts, scrapes, and a concussion?" Kya asked, her water-covered hands hovering over the teen's prone body as she tended to the large bruises covering her niece's arms and shoulders. The waterbender had decided to visit her nieces and nephews on a whim, and had barely arrived at Air Temple Island an hour before Lin and her group. While Lin knew that the acolyte healers were competent, she thanked the spirits that Kya was on hand to help. "What was she even doing at Zaofu? Isn't she still in school?"

"She just started her summer vacation," Lin said, lovingly brushing her daughter's hair away from her face. Spirits, she wished she had forced Chen to take her metalbending suit. While impractical for the swamp, it would have spared her most of her injuries. "She was there because she and Korra finished up a spiritual retreat at the swamp. They didn't bring a portable radio, so they had to go to Su to get ahold of me."

"A spiritual retreat, huh? Well, the swamp's a great place to get in touch with yourself," Kya murmured, her focus solely on a problematic scrape covering the entirety of Chen's shin. Once she was ensured the scrape was completely gone, she bent the water back into her water skin and faced Lin and Tenzin. "You're very, _very_ lucky that these injuries aren't worse. That being said, she needs to rest for the next couple of days, and I mean bedrest. That concussion of hers is going to make it difficult to perform everyday tasks-earth and metalbending is obviously forbidden, but this includes her beloved guzheng. I firmly suggest that she holds off on practicing for the next week or until her condition improves sufficiently, whichever is first. And to answer your next question, I would not recommend moving her at this moment. I need to be close by to monitor her progress and administer medicines, and I won't be able to give her the same level of care at your apartment, Lin."

"The room next to Kya's is free. It's yours for the duration of Chen's recovery, if you want it," Tenzin offered.

"I would, thank you Tenzin," the police chief replied gratefully. She turned to Kya. "Thank you so much Kya, I really appreciate this. I know you must be exhausted from your trip in today, so for you to work on Chen immediately...it means a lot to me."

"You don't need to thank me, Lin. It's what family does." The waterbender smiled and drew the tense police chief into an embrace, gently rubbing circles into Lin's back. After a few moments, she pulled away and continued work on Chen, the healing water bathing the unconscious teen in suffused blue light.

Not wanting to disturb Kya further, the two retreated to Tenzin's study nearby. After a few minutes watching his fountain bubble and flow, he gently cleared his throat. "I heard about Zaofu falling," Tenzin said quietly. "I'm so sorry, Lin."

The police chief said nothing, turning away from him as she ran her fingers through her hair. Tenzin realized her shoulders were trembling and quickly pulled Lin in for a hug, the metalbender silently wetting his robes with her tears. The two stayed there, the Airbender gently rocking her.

"It was horrible, Tenzin," she sniffed. "Kuvira's _entire_ army was on Zaofu's doorstep. I thought everyone was already captured, or worse! When I found them unharmed I was so relieved, but then Su challenged Kuvira to one-on-one sparring-she had trapped her tightly in an earth tent, and Chen stepped in before things could get worse. Korra and I were flanking her, but somehow we were spared while Chen got the entirety of Kuvira's anger. I tried sandbending to disorient her but it was no use-Opal, Korra, Chen, and I might have gotten away, but the rest of my family was captured. We should have forced Raiko to listen to us-maybe then he would have actually taken her seriously as a threat."

"Raiko doesn't consider things threats until they're staring him in the face, and even then he thinks it's a minor disturbance to be dealt with by someone else," Tenzin mused.

"Yeah, us," Lin said, a small smirk on her face. Growing serious once again, she positioned herself to face Tenzin. "How long have you been telling Raiko that Kuvira was a credible threat?"

"Since the moment she subjugated her first city-state," he said softly. "But I didn't take it as seriously as I should have until Opal, Jinora, and Kai returned from a mission with news of labor camps sprouting up across the Kingdom. Even then I thought they were mistaking a new fort for a labor camp, but every nomad who took on a mission returned with the same news: that there were settlements in relatively uninhabited areas of the Earth Kingdom that were populated only by water- and firebenders. I thought we were done with subjugation after the Hundred Year War, but it seems that I was mistaken."

"But you and your airbenders helped, right?"

Tenzin sighed and shifted uneasily. "Lin, the other airbenders and I can only do so much due to our oath of nonaggression. My hands were tied-"

Lin extricated herself from his embrace and pushed Tenzin away, furious with the man before her. "Tenzin, you are the political and spiritual leader of the Air Nation, which you yourself rededicated to nomadic lives of service! Service to all nations and all people, not subject to an egotistical and sadistic dictator OR a lazy and ignorant president so don't you _dare_ tell me otherwise! Your hands aren't tied, you're just being LAZY!"

Tenzin blinked, stunned. He knew that Lin was speaking from a place of pain and fear, but also he had to wonder-is this what his ex thought of him? Silently he took Lin's hand and led her to his desk, where he began dialing a phone number. Lin's brows furrowed in confusion. "Tenzin, what are you-"

He held his hand up in a gesture of silence. "Fire Lord Izumi? It's Master Tenzin...or Airhead, that works too. Yes, I'm fine, Bumi's fine too and wants to know when you're next in Republic City-which will be tomorrow, ideally, if that's possible. I'm trying to put together another meeting with the world leaders to discuss the situation in Zaofu. It has… officially fallen. Lin's fine,... yes Chen is- WAIT HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CHEN?... Criminy, I'll have to have a word with Lin… Right… thank you for being so accommodating… see you tomorrow..." Tenzin hung up the phone and looked irritatedly at Lin. "Since when does Izumi know about Chen?"

"Since we started visiting Ember Island six years ago," she replied casually with the signature dismissive Beifong wave of the hand. "Winter in Republic City is truly dreadful, and the weather in the Fire Nation is always so nice at that time of year. Plus, she and Izumi get along famously. I wouldn't be surprised if she drops by the island after that meeting to check in on her."

Tenzin looked confused. "Wasn't Chen still a secret six years ago?"

"She never was a secret. Not only did Saikhan know about her and look after her, his daughter Alta is one of Chen's closest friends. She came to the station on _numerous_ occasions, she's always used our last name at school-Tenzin, we've been over this, do we have to talk about this right now?"

Tenzin sighed and crossed his arms. "Yes, we do. Why was I the last to know about Chen's existence? I understand why Su would know since she's your sister, but Izumi of all people? She hardly leaves the throne room! Spirits, when did Bumi even find out?"

"We were all there when he found out. You, Chen, and I attacked him in the dining hall at the Northern Air Temple, remember?"

"And the Krew?"

"Only a few days before."

"That's not fair, Lin," he said, slowly shaking his head. "If you still hadn't told me about her, who would be taking care of her injuries? Izumi? Mako? She could have _died_ and I would have been none the wiser!"

Lin arched an eyebrow. "You really want to go? Fine. Everyone in Republic City knew about her except for you-that's probably because you only see what you want to see. You overlooked Chen because after we broke up— I couldn't _possibly_ have children without you, similarly to how you managed to overlook Kuvira's entire prison camp system because you couldn't _possibly_ break your oath of non-aggression, even if it could help thousands!"

Tenzin crossed his arms, glowering at his ex. She crossed her arms in return, scowling. She might have been over the line with her jab at his non-aggression pact, but he certainly shouldn't be questioning her decision to keep Chen private for all those years, especially not after what happened in Zaofu. "I get that you're stressed about Chen being hurt, but you have no right to take it out on me when you are complicit in Kuvira's unchecked rise to power. If you had actually intervened, then my niece wouldn't be crying herself to sleep over the fact that her ENTIRE family is riding first class to the nearest labor camp! Did you even stop to think about that for one second, or did you forget because you just _had_ to open an old wound, since apparently your feelings are more important?"

The airbender sighed, hanging his head. "I should have been there in Zaofu," he whispered. "Even if I couldn't save your family, I could have protected our daughter. I failed at the most basic part of being a father."

"You failed spectacularly, but there's a way to rectify that," she said, shoving his telephone into his hands. "Finish calling the rest of the world leaders and make them come to your-no, _our_ meeting tomorrow. The past is the past, but you damn well better involve yourself in the future."

Tenzin quickly began dialing President Raiko as Lin walked back to check on Kya and Chen. Delicately seating herself on the edge of the bed, she gently stroked her daughter's cheek as Kya worked on healing the teen's concussion. After Tenzin finished all his phone calls he joined as well, the two watching over their daughter until they could no longer keep their eyes open.

* * *

"I have to say, it's not everyday you go on a picnic in your own park," Korra remarked, absentmindedly munching on a red bean bun.

"Well, it's not everyday you return to Republic City, either," Asami responded with a laugh.

Preoccupied with her daughter's healing post-Zaofu and her upcoming meeting with the World Leaders, Lin had shooed Korra and her friends from the island so they wouldn't be underfoot. "I don't care what you all do, but Korra, you better be at city hall at 1400 sharp," she had growled. Mako was about to ask the irate chief a question, but by the time he was formulating his sentence he found himself on the ferry to Republic City and Prince Wu on Air Temple Island. Now the group was relaxing in Avatar Korra Park, eating red bean buns and takeout from Narook's while enjoying the sun.

"Spirits, this feels just like old times," Korra said, a content grin filling up her face.

"It would be if Bolin were here," Mako said, sipping his tea.

Korra blushed. "Of course—sorry Mako."

"No worries, it's just good to have you back."

"Can I ask you something?" Korra said, reaching for her container of seaweed noodles. "Why did Bolin join Kuvira's mission? I never saw him as one for the military."

"He wasn't planning to, or at least not for this long. He was just going to help Kuvira stabilize our family's neighborhood in Ba Sing Se. He did so surprisingly skillfully, and he enjoyed helping, so he just decided to stay full time. I do wonder if he truly understands what he's gotten himself into. Kuvira's not exactly merciful, from what I've heard."

"You could say that again," Korra muttered. Mako reddened, embarrassed by his thoughtless comment. In his excitement at seeing his friend he had forgotten that Korra had been present at the fall of Zaofu. He simply started digging into his noodles, not wanting to engage further on the topic. Sending his discomfort, the Avatar turned to Asami. "So what have you been up to? The city looks great—small wonder if you helped design the infrastructure."

The industrialist blushed. "You're too kind, Korra. I designed it so that it would incorporate the Spirit Wilds-honestly, I think it looks better than before. So I've done that, I've optimized the fuel usage of the engines on my Satomobiles, made some significant headway on the dexterity of the hummingbird suits, and nearly finalized the design for the airbenders' wingsuits."

Korra beamed, and Asami returned it with a radiant smile. "Asami, that's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!"

"Enough about me," Asami said, waving Korra's praises off. "What about you? What exactly were you doing in the South Pole? Other than healing, of course."

The Avatar shifted uneasily. "Physically healing took a really long time-it took me over a year to walk unassisted, and don't even get me started on how long it took me to bend any element with control. Spiritually things are even worse-I haven't been able to meditate into the Spirit World since before the Red Lotus incident."

Mako's eyes widened. "You're kidding-have you been to the portal, at least?"

"Yeah, I went to the one in the South Pole once, but it was no use-the spirits didn't even recognize me because my connection with Raava has been blocked," Korra said dejectedly. "I'm scared that the longer I'm unable to meditate in, the less likely it will be that I'll ever be able to return that way. And then what about Raava? Will I ever be able to reconnect with her again?"

"Of course you will," Asami said, putting a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "And what's more, we'll help you get there."

Korra blinked. "You're serious? Both of you are willing to help me?"

"Of course," Mako said, his face serious. "I admit, apart from being in the Spirit World during Harmonic Convergence, I understand almost nothing about the spirits. But whatever you need Korra, I'll be there."

The Avatar smiled gratefully. "That means the world to me, you guys. Thank you, truly." She was reaching for the last red bean bun when she paused. Something felt...off. "Do you all feel that?"

"Feel what?" Asami asked, confused.

"The spirit energy-it's changed!" Korra said, grabbing her gear. "We have to go to the Spirit Wilds, I can get a read of what's going on there!"

Asami and Mako scrambled to their feet, trying in vain to catch up to a sprinting Korra. "I don't understand," Mako panted upon stopping at the Spirit Wilds. "Korra, I don't see anything wrong-SPIRITS WATCH OUT!" The vines were _alive,_ lashing out at any human who dared go near. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he quickly ran to help Asami, Jinora, and Opal evacuate the tour groups.

Once the people were secure and moved a safe distance from the vines, Asami turned to Korra, who was 'reading' a spirit vine. "Korra, what's going on? What do the vines say?"

The Avatar turned to her friend, eyes wide. "We have to get to City Hall immediately-what I saw in the vines, it was _horrible_. The other world leaders need to know what's going on-it could change everything."

* * *

Spirits, and she thought Hou-Ting was bad.

As the first Fire Lord to rule during peaceful times in over 100 years, Izumi had elevated diplomacy to an art form. Ceremonial teas, endless conventions, whatever was needed would be done with an artful touch. As much as she tried, however, she never could get along with the Earth Kingdom royals. Hou-Ting had a superiority complex that rivaled that infamous Sozin, and this Wu character was so out of touch with reality it would be amusing if it wasn't so terrifying that he was the next monarch of the Earth Kingdom.

Was she really giving up time with Bumi for this nonsense?

Just as she was about to shut down yet another of the Earth Kingdom royal's crazy ideas, Korra, Mako, and Asami burst through the door, wheezing from running. "Chiefs Desna and Eska, Chief Tonraq, Fire Lord Izumi, Chief Beifong, Master Tenzin, Prince Wu, President Raiko," Korra said out-of-breath, bowing to each person she named.

"You can call me Dad, you know," Tonraq said, amused.

"Either way, you're twenty minutes late," Lin said, arching an eyebrow. "Whatever your excuse is, it better be good."

Korra was about to speak when a battered Bolin, Varrick, and Zhu Li burst through the doors. Furious, Raiko turned to his guards. "Guards, remove these traitors!"

The guards easily picked up the former Earth Empire officers. Fighting back, Bolin turned to the world leaders assembled. "No, we escaped Kuvira's army! We're on your side now!" he yelled, desperately trying to extricate himself. "WE HAVE TOP SECRET INFORMATION FOR YOU!"

After thinking for a moment, Raiko gestured to his guards. The two men dropped Bolin and Varrick, who fell clumsily to the ground. "Maybe we should have started out with that," Varrick commented.

"I agree, sir," Zhu Li chirped.

Lin narrowed her eyes. "What brings you two here all of a sudden? You all seemed perfectly content with helping her in Zaofu."

"That's because I thought she was helping people!" Bolin pleaded. "I didn't know that she was building-"

"A superweapon!" Varrick injected. "It's like a regular weapon, but super!"

"Let me guess, it has something to do with the spirit vines?" Korra asked.

"Yes," he replied, surprised. "How did you know?"

"I saw a vision of her taking spirit vines from the swamp."

Varrick took a deep breath as Zhu Li shuddered. "Spirits, if she figures out how to harness their power we're all doomed."

Raiko sighed. "Guards, bring us some more chairs. We can't have this meeting with half our members standing up."

Once more chairs were brought, the group settled at the table, with Korra seating herself between Lin and Tenzin. The president of the United Republic cleared his throat to speak. "Look, I think we all know what must be done. We have to take the fight to _her_."

"I'm with Raiko," Lin declared. "I say we go on the offensive and start by retaking Zaofu."

"If I may ask, why is it important that the United Republic lead this offensive?" Wu asked, leaning onto the table. "Is military might even necessary?"

"Says the monarch who was deposed and whose entire army was conscripted," Izumi snapped. "Don't tell me you're of the ilk that thinks poisoning food and 'eternal vacations' are valid tactics to use." Wu, eyes wide, shrunk away from the Fire Lord.

"They're not valid tactics, which is why we need to go on the offensive and make a preemptive strike against Kuvira to deter the potential invasion of the United Republic Of Nations! We ARE the United Republic Of Nations!" Raiko asserted.

"United under the thumb of an arrogant and pompous president," Izumi muttered.

"Raiko, it is wrong to attack another leader unprovoked. As such, my airbenders will not take part in a preemptive strike." Tenzin said, clasping his hands for emphasis.

"Neither will my army," Izumi stated crisply. Raiko and the rest of the group looked at her in shock. "The Fire Nation has spent too much of its histories fighting nonsense wars, and I refuse to drag my nation into another unless there is no choice. Kuvira has not acted aggressively towards the United Republic, therefore we have no reason to—"

"She took Zaofu!" Lin interrupted, aghast.

"A rogue state on Earth Kingdom territory," the Fire Lord replied, her amber eyes flashing. "Now I truly understand the personal reasons for stopping her, but sending an army could cost tens of thousands of innocent lives and for what, exactly? A sister? Some nephews? A city? We cannot let those personal feelings cloud our judgement as leaders of our respective nations."

"The Fire Lord is right," Tonraq said crisply. "A preemptive strike would be viewed as an outright invasion of the Earth Kingdom—Er—Empire— and a blatant declaration of war. We tasked Kuvira with reuniting the Earth Kingdom under one entity, and she's doing just that. Only when she comes to our borders and threatens the rest of the world can we strike."

Raiko sighed. "We'll go on the defensive and fortify the borders."

"In that, you'll have my support." Izumi replied, flashing him and Wu a warning glare before turning to leave. She'd dealt with this nonsense long enough, hopefully she'll have enough time with her husband before their duties call them once again.

* * *

Lin and Tenzin walked silently onto the dock at Air Temple Island, so preoccupied with their own thoughts that they crashed into someone. "Oh pardon me, I'm so sorry," Tenzin apologized. He stepped back and squinted. "Bumi? Is that you?"

"What, you don't recognize your own brother?" Bumi said. Lin had to stifle a laugh; with his notoriously unmanageable hair slicked down and clothed in a suit, the former United Forces commander was a far cry from his usual wild self. She could have sworn he was even wearing a new cologne, but the giant bouquet of flowers he was carrying obscured the scent. Lin shared a single glance with Tenzin, the same thought on their minds. Bumi adjusted his tie in anticipation. "I will let you know that Izumi is coming to see me for the first time in over a year."

"Izumi? Are you sure?" Lin asked, feigning confusion. "I thought she had already left for the Fire Nation. Isn't that right, Tenzin?"

"Well, she left to the Fire Nation embassy if that's what you mean," Tenzin said, trying to play along. "If you leave on the ferry now, you might be able to catch her before it closes."

"Before it-that's in half an hour! Out of my way, baby brother, I have a wife to see!"

"A wife to see where, exactly?"

Lin and Tenzin parted to show a smirking Izumi, her arms crossed. Having taken off her ceremonial armor and crown, the woman was now dressed in an old dress of Kya's, her amber eyes shining. Bumi shoved his bouquet into Lin's arms and was about to bow when his wife stopped him with a passionate kiss. "It's been far too long, my love."

"Too, too, long," Bumi murmured, pressing kisses to his wife's neck. Lin and Tenzin took one look at each other and stepped back, not wanting to be a part of whatever was about to happen.

Izumi faced Bumi, her arms intertwined with his. "Now my love, I was hoping there was somewhere more...private where we could speak," she said, sensually walking her fingers up his chest. "You know, just the two of us? And where there would be _no_ chance of us being found?"

"No chance of us being found, hm?" Bumi smirked. "Becoming an airbender _has_ opened up some new possibilities. What are your thoughts on a previously inaccessible _dragon's lair_ on the south side of the island?"

Lin and Tenzin both rolled their eyes. One would think they were teenagers sneaking out of their house to make out, not world leaders married to each other.

"I'd like that," Izumi replied with a mischievous smile, grabbing her husband's hand as the two set off for their new destination.

Shifting the bouquet in her arms, the police chief turned to her ex. "The more time passes, the less I understand their relationship."

Tenzin watched after the two, hoping they wouldn't destroy any of his priceless artifacts this time around. "Yet somehow they suit each other perfectly. Love works in mysterious ways."

"So that's where you all have been," Pema commented, coming out of the main house just as Izumi and Bumi disappeared from view to find her husband gazing at his ex with a little too much fondness for her liking while the Police Chief looked away at some nondescript point on the horizon.

Is that a bouquet in Lin's arms?

"I— Uh— Pema! Yes— we were just-"

"Marveling over the fact that Tenzin's the brother-in-law of the Fire Lord," Lin deadpanned. "Think Bumi's still in shock too, based on this flower arrangement he brought for her."

"I'm not going to lie, I thought Bumi was joking the first ten years I knew him," Pema replied, eying the closeness between her husband and his ex as she took the flowers from the police chief. "Even now, I'm not quite sure I entirely believe him."

"I wouldn't believe him either, except I watched the Fire Sages marry them with my own two eyes," Lin smirked. "Anyways, what brings you here, Pema? Is there something we can help with?"

"Yes, two things actually," the acolyte said. "First, Opal is looking for you specifically, Chief Beifong-she wants to know how the world leaders' meeting went. As for the other thing, Chen refuses to stay on bedrest. She claims that she's feeling better and that Kya cleared her, and I would check with Kya except for the fact that she took the kids to the city for the afternoon-"

"If there's one thing my kid hates, it's bedrest," Lin said, shaking her head. "I'll go talk to Opal and see how she's doing. Tenzin, can you ensure that Chen stays in bed? She should need her bandages redressed soon anyways, and she might actually listen to you instead of me."

"Of course," Tenzin said, nodding seriously. Lin watched the two head to the sick bay and chuckled. Like her mother, Chen loathed sick days and preferred to work through whatever ailment she was suffering from, even if it negatively impacted her; Tenzin and Pema, with their gentle cajoling, certainly had their work cut out for them. Using seismic sense to find her niece, she walked to the stables to find Opal giving her air bison a potion for allergies.

"Hi, Aunt Lin-I wouldn't hug me if I were you, I'm covered in Juicy's shedding," Opal said, quickly bowing to her aunt. "How did the meeting go? Were you able to get some help for Zaofu?"

Lin sighed. "I'm sorry kid, but I couldn't convince the others to attack Kuvira. If we want to save our family, we're going to have to do this on our own."

"Don't you think others might want to help?" Opal asked hopefully. "Like Korra, maybe? She's the Avatar, surely having her around would help?"

The police chief thought for a moment-saving their family was going to be a dangerous unsanctioned mission, but Opal made a fair point. If Kuvira was using spirit energy, then Korra would be the only person who could stop her.

"Alright, we ask Korra, and no one else," Lin conceded. "Has she returned to the island yet?"

Opal thought for a moment. "I believe she's still with her father and Asami. She said that she had some unfinished business to take care of."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Asami asked Korra as they entered an elevator.

"She has a point," Tonraq agreed. "This won't be a happy reunion."

"I have to," Korra said, her gaze distant. "When I was in the swamp, I realized that in order to move on from what happened to me I have to face my fears. This is one of them."

After the world leaders' meeting had concluded, she had asked her father for a favor. It was a simple favor, but Tonraq had refused on principle. However, after an hour he relented and contacted President Raiko for the proper permissions. Now they were deep in the mountains outside Republic City, waiting to see the one man Tonraq wanted dead more than anything.

"We'll be there with you every step of the way," Asami said soothingly as they stepped out of the first elevator.

"I appreciate it, I really do," Korra said, motioning for the others to stop as she boarded the second elevator. "But this is something I have to do alone."

"Be careful, Korra," Tonraq warned. His daughter did not hear him, for she had already descended deep into the mountain. There, she found hovering above her head a man she hadn't seen since that fateful day she was poisoned.

"Zaheer," she spit out. "We need to talk. Now."


	17. Chapter 17

Hi all, I hope you enjoy this chapter! As always, some of the dialogue is taken from the show, so I cannot take credit for those portions!

It's time for some shout-outs: as always, a million thanks to user () for being my beta reader and contributing to the dialogue, especially the fight scene! Really, they have a gift with things such as this, they're truly the best! Also, if you're interested in worldbuilding check out their story "The Princess's Fire!" Watch as Fire Lord Izumi morphs from shy princess dominated by social customs to the most powerful Fire Lord ever. Intricate worldbuilding, a world of details-their world is a rich one and one that you can get easily lost in!

Also, thank you to the user () for the engaging conversations! If you're also interested in the post-Book 4 timeline but with an intriguing twist, read their story "Heart in Chains," it will promises to be a heart stopper!

* * *

She hasn't expected it to be so simple.

Toph had mentioned overcoming past fears in the swamp—but there's past fears, and then there's facing the man who tried to murder her when she was still a teenager. Yet the earthbender was right. After seeing Zaheer face-to-face and meditating through the past together, she was not only able to meditate into the spirit world but also reconnect with Raava to boot. Thrilled, she bounced down the corridor to Tenzin's office on Air Temple Island when she felt an unknown assailant grab her by the mouth and drag her into an empty room. Flailing, she pushed herself out of the unknown person's grasp to find herself across from Opal and Lin, their arms crossed and bags packed.

"Do you all realize how idiotic a move that was?" Korra asked in disbelief. "I could have burnt you and half the island down!"

"Not nearly as idiotic as you going to Zaheer's prison without telling me—you really thought I wouldn't find out?" Lin asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Who—"

"Your father told me, who else? Anyways, that's not why we dragged you in here, kid. We want you to join us on a mission that's...outside Raiko's scope."

Korra crossed her arms, intrigued. The few times she worked with Raiko she found him to be a man who cares more about the optics of a situation than actually solving it; small wonder Beifong almost always went behind his back if she needed something major to be addressed. "How far beyond his scope, exactly?"

"Zaofu, if we're going by geography," Opal replied. "Help us save our family and retake Zaofu before she can get to the ancestral seat. I know you try to look at situations from all angles, but if Kuvira has a weapon powered by spirit vines I—"

"You don't need to justify yourself, Opal," Korra interjected. "I'm in. Kuvira needs to be stopped before she can use that weapon against more than just autonomous states in The Earth Kingdom. Let me just tell Tenzin I'll be out on Water Tribe business for the next couple of days and then I'll meet you wherever you want me to."

"Korra, this is an unsanctioned mission—no one else can know about it, including you, Blockhead," Lin growled, launching Bolin from his hiding place into their meeting room.

"How did you—seismic sense, right," Bolin said, picking himself up. "Look, I just wanted to apologize to Opal. Opal, you warned me about Kuvira and I didn't listen and now look where that got us. Your family's been captured, Zaofu conquered, Gaoling next—I should have listened but I didn't, and I am so, so, sorry. I want to make it up to you, and I will never stop making it up to you, because-I'm in love with you, Opal Beifong."

Korra and Lin shot each other a look as Opal stared down the lavabender. "Thanks for telling me all of that," she said softly. "But if you're as serious about making it up to me as you say you are, then pack your bags and meet us at Juicy's stable. We have a family to save and a nation to liberate."

Bolin nodded seriously and darted out of the room, followed quickly by Korra. He had already messed up enough; he wasn't going to do it again, not if he could help it.

* * *

After three years, everything was _finally_ coming together.

She would be the first to admit that she hadn't anticipated becoming the Great Uniter. But when life hands one a broken kingdom, one fixes it in every way possible. She had always been a woman of action; it was something her foster mother appreciated, had even taken great pains to cultivate. Under her foster mother she flourished, until she didn't.

Her relationship with Suyin had soured after the matriarch had refused to help stabilize the Earth Kingdom. How could a woman so invested in progress consciously choose to ignore the suffering of millions as their home states dissolved into chaos _and_ refuse the opportunity to make an impact? Though she said nothing after her outburst at that fateful meeting, she quietly began organizing the Metal Clan guards to help her on her mission to bring stability and equality to the Earth Kingdom. Suyin had been so blissfully unaware that she hadn't even noticed her plans until she and the rest of the guards were leaving for Ba Sing Se; it took them just two weeks to stabilize the entirety of the famous walled city. It was only then that the other world leaders began to take notice and concern themselves with the wellbeing of an entire nation. She shuddered to think about what would have happened if they had let that insufferable Prince Wu take the throne immediately after his aunt's unfortunate demise.

She couldn't take all the credit for her work in the Earth Empire; without her fiancé's engineering feats, unifying the errant states would have been impossible. Thanks to his train tracks criss-crossing the entire nation, states fell in line like Pai Sho tiles as she traveled the countryside bringing aid and order to those who needed it. When she worried about putting her soldiers on the front line, he built platinum mecha-suits as their first line of defense. It had even been his idea to look into using the spirit vines to benefit their cause, though she had taken his ideas farther than he had ever imagined.

"Kuvira, love, the last pieces of the prototype have been packed and loaded onto the train. We should be moving in 20 minutes."

"Excellent, thank you." Bataar nodded and turned to leave when his fiancee grabbed his wrist and pulled him close for a kiss. "I mean it, my love, thank you for everything."

Bataar drew Kuvira into a tight embrace. "You don't need to thank me, love. Being able to enact real change by your side-there's no place I'd rather be. I love you, Kuvira."

"I never could have done this without you. Once we bring all the states under our control, we can finally get married." Kuvira sighed, a small content smile on her lips as she rested her head on Bataar's chest. For a split moment, she imagined herself walking down the aisle to her beaming fiancé. Soon enough it'd become a reality.

* * *

How she hadn't killed Bolin yet was beyond her.

The young man had talked, no, _performed_ a soliloquy on their way to Zaofu about how he planned to save both the Zaofu Beifongs and his love with her niece. Korra had tried in vain to intervene, but Bolin was so carried away that eventually she fell silent, shooting disbelieving looks to the annoyed police chief as Bolin increasingly became enamored with his "grand" speech. By the time they landed in Zaofu, Lin had all but thrown him out of the saddle, pushing him out of the way as she, Korra, and Opal scouted ahead for a hidden spot from which to watch the metal city.

"The domes are still intact, but I don't see any of Kuvira's army here," Opal noted, dread forming in the pit of her stomach. "Where would they be?"

Lin, unsettled, pulled out a spyglass to survey the empty city. Sure enough, not a single machine from the Earth Empire remained, the open fields once filled with Kuvira's army now desolate. "The lotuses are closed, so there's a chance they could be hiding in there. My seismic sense isn't strong enough to confirm that theory from here so we'll need to get closer."

"Don't bother, there's no one left in Zaofu. Everyone's been moved to Gaoling-which you'd know if you actually bothered to check in every once in a while. You're the co-ruler with Su, remember?"

Lin sat up, perturbed. There was only one person who sounded like that, and as far as she knew the woman had fallen off the face of the earth more than 20 years ago. Slowly she turned around to find herself facing her mother, the diminutive woman setting her feet deep into the earth. "Uh, hey Chief," she stammered, shocked at the presence of the person before her.

"Hey, Chief," Toph replied tersely.

Korra, Bolin, and Opal shrieked with joy at the legendary earthbender's presence, with Opal leading the way for a massive group hug and Bolin freaking out about meeting his 'idol.' Lin stayed behind, watching the happy reunion between Toph and her granddaughter with crossed arms and a scowl. Seriously? Out of all the times her mother could have helped, _now_ is when she decides to reappear from the swamp? She had tentatively considered reuniting with her mother after reconnecting with Su, but after being told of Toph's life in the swamp she decided against it; if the Chief didn't want to be found, then she didn't want to be found. Now, for the first time in over two decades, her mother had finally decided to make an appearance. Somehow she wasn't shocked that it took needing to bail Suyin's butt out of a labor camp for the Beifong matriarch to make an appearance; it was just par for the course with their family.

"Lin, I can feel your arms crossed from here. Sheesh, between you and Chen you'd think someone would be happy to see me."

The current police chief rolled her eyes. Surely her mother couldn't be that clueless. Wait, what did she say about Chen? She opened her mouth to speak but felt someone light-footed running towards her, their steps sending soft but steady vibrations into the ground. Not five minutes later a metalbender uniform-clad Chen showed up, her long hair held back by the steel diadem Suyin had given her upon their first meeting all those years ago. Lin narrowed her eyes at the teen, who by all accounts should be recovering in her room at Air Temple Island. "You better not be here right now, you better be a hallucination."

"Hate to burst your bubble Mama, but it's really me," Chen said, her lips quirking into a smile as she quickly embraced her mother. "Did you really think I'd be sitting out Zaofu and Gaoling's liberations?"

"I did, considering it's only been a few days since you got a concussion from an ill-fated attempt at sparring with a dictator," Lin replied, sitting her daughter on her knees as she redid her hair into a braid. "Does Kya even know you're here? Not that it matters, you're not going anywhere _near_ a battlefield unless your aunt tells me in person that you're cleared."

"She is, Lin, I completely healed her last night—it's amazing how many sessions can be performed when your patient actually takes their sedative medication. Of course, you'd know that if you had stayed around instead of sneaking off." Lin's focus turned from her daughter's hair to the master waterbender a few paces in front of her, her hands on her hips. "I can understand you not telling my world leader brothers and sister-in-law, but me, Lin? Surely by now you've realized keeping secrets from me is never going to work!"

"Kya, this is an unsanctioned mission, not a party! I'm not going to be sending out embossed invites to your potential death!"

"A shame really, I do love a nice piece of stationary," the waterbender replied sarcastically. "Not much you can do about that now, considering the rest of the team is here."

Lin's eyes narrowed even further. "The rest? What do you mean, the rest?"

In response, Tenzin, Bumi, and Izumi emerged from behind the waterbender, the Fire Lord walking beside her beloved dragon Akari.

"What are you all doing here?" Lin asked harshly, raising her voice. "Tenzin, Bumi, you two have an entire nation to run! Izumi, you made a point at the meeting the other day that the Fire Nation wouldn't be getting involved if they could help it!"

"Then allow me to clarify my intent. 'I refuse to drag my nation into another war unless there's no other choice' means that I am not going to put my people in danger overseas for something that affects me personally. That does not restrict me, as an individual, from getting involved with the assistance of my dearest companion, Akari." Izumi said, her amber eyes glowing against her royal armor. Her dragon hummed and gently nudged her master in response.

"And I thought I was your dearest companion," Bumi interjected, feigning hurt.

Izumi raised a brow. "Besides, someone has to teach these two Airheads here what getting involved with world affairs looks like."

"Let me make it very clear that my primary goal here is protecting my firstborn," Tenzin said worriedly.

"You airbenders and your avoidance of confrontation," Toph muttered, crossing her arms in annoyance. "If you had actually done something when Kuvira first started rising to power, then we might not be in this situation."

"Speaking of which," Korra said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "How are we going to save your family and liberate your states, exactly? No one is here, or has been apparently since they overtook the area. Where do we go now?"

"Twinkletoes the Second, weren't you listening?" the former police chief asked annoyedly. "As I was telling my rather grumpy daughter, everyone has been moved to Gaoling. Hope you brought your walking shoes, because we've got a long hike to the ancestral seat ahead of us."

"Perhaps, but we have three bison and a dragon," Bumi reminded the legendary metalbender, a mischievous glint in his eye. "We'll be able to get the others out before Kuvira knows what hit her!"

"I know where this is going, and I'm going to stop you right there, bud," Toph said, irritated. "We don't always need to fly to get to our destination. In fact, we shouldn't, considering that this is supposed to be an off-the-books stealth operation, and none of us are supposed to be here right now!"

"But Bumi's right, we don't have any time to waste!" Bolin stressed. "We need to save your family and prevent Kuvira from using that spirit weapon! I've seen parts of it being tested, we can't let her use it!"

"You've seen parts of-you used to work for Kuvira? How on earth did my granddaughter end up with the sort of dipstick that gets involved with her crazy plans?"

" _Used to!_ " Bolin said exasperatedly. "She never told me everything, and as soon as she overtook Zaofu I escaped! I signed up to help people, not to conquer them!"

"And rightly so, since you seem to have a real hard time keeping your mouth _shut_!" Lin muttered, shoving him aside. Grabbing Chen's shoulder, she steered them towards Tenzin, Kya, and Oogi. "We're flying, and anyone against that decision can walk with Mom."

Bumi and Izumi smiled at each other and both mounted Akari while Bolin, Opal, and Korra climbed onto Juicy.

"Wait! Chen, you have to come with me so you can fly your bison! I can't steer the thing!" Kya called from Berry's saddle. When she was a child she used to take her father's bison on trips around the city, but Berry was notoriously stubborn. She flew only for Chen, and once in a blue moon for Ikki. Tenzin had long given up on trying to pair the creature with an airbender, and kept her on Air Temple Island for Chen's personal use.

"Of course!" Chen said, about to jump into Berry's saddle before both parents shot her a disapproving glare. Her concussion might have been completely healed, but the last thing they needed was for the girl to get hurt yet again under their care.

"You go with her, I got Oogi," Lin said quietly, reluctant to relinquish charge of her daughter when battle was imminent. She grasped Tenzin's hand before he could leap from Oogi to Berry. "Please protect her, Tenzin. She might think she's invincible, but she's only going to get herself hurt again."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Tenzin replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he squeezed her hand comfortingly. "Don't worry Lin, I'll take care of her. Just focus on getting in and out as quickly and safely as you can." They let go and he jumped into Berry's saddle.

"Oogi, yip yip!" Lin yelled, lifting off the ground as everyone followed. "We'll fly around the rear of Kuvira's army and catch them off guard from the east. If we come from the direction of the sun they won't be able to see us, so no bender or mecha suit will be able to get an accurate shot."

The others nodded and silently followed the current police chief, their thoughts preoccupied only by the task ahead of them.

* * *

"Where is everyone?"

Baatar looked around the main thoroughfare of his family's ancestral town. He had only visited once as a child, and remembered the town as a bustling center of both commerce and the arts. Now, however, he and Kuvira were the only two people in the town. Every store had its doors locked, and not a single apartment showed signs of life. A nearby park, which would have been filled with pai sho players on a nice summer day such as this one, now stood desolate. Kuvira used her seismic sense to scope out the town, furrowing her brow as she read the tremors in the earth. After a few moments, she stood up completely straight.

"No one's here," she said, annoyed. "Not a single soul remains in this wretched town."

"What?!" Baatar exploded. "That's impossible! Gaoling is a hub of commerce and trade, it can't just be abandoned!"

"It can be if they were given enough warning," Kuvira muttered, moving rocks away from their feet with a flick of her fingers. "Your mother may act foolishly, but she has some redeeming moments. She probably used her time during the truce to evacuate everyone-it'd explain why we didn't find anyone in Zaofu either."

"But where would they go? A population that large can't just disappear overnight!"

"The Fire Nation, most likely-there are a couple standalone islands not far from here that could easily house everyone. Anyways, that's unimportant."

"Unimportant? Wouldn't that violate the terms of the truce? The Fire Nation publicly refused to aid-"

"-an invasion. Hosting a city's worth of refugees falls under peacekeeping activities even if those refugees are all traitors to our Empire. The only thing that can violate a truce is the use of force. What Su and everyone else involved in this quiet evacuation did was completely in line with our agreement." The Great Uniter answered, crossing her arms. "It's frustrating, but for the best that everyone is gone. We can't have the spirit cannon destroying a vibrant town AND its citizens."

Bataar blinked. This is not what they had discussed at all-Kuvira had stressed repeatedly the importance of using a fine touch to convince Gaoling into joining their Empire, not forcing them through weaponry. What had changed, exactly?

More so, why hadn't she told him?

"We're going to be destroying the town? I thought we were just going to annex it-bring Gaoling into the fold of the empire the right way."

"Even if there were people here with whom to negotiate, they wouldn't yield. Gaoling proper is a city of wealthy and proud people who would never surrender. It was left untouched the entire duration of the Earth Kingdom's war with the Fire Nation-it stands as a symbol of hope for the entire province, no, for the whole of the old Kingdom, which is why it must be destroyed. Without hope, people lose the will to resist and then we will finally have united the entirety of the Earth Empire."

The chief engineering officer furrowed his brows. He may not be aligned with his family anymore, but he was still a Beifong. Destroying the ancestral seat felt...wrong. What isn't she telling me? What happened to settling down after we finished our mission? "And destroying Gaoling is the way to go about it?"

"To be clear, Bataar, it's not about the town-it's about the message." Kuvira delicately put a hand on her fiance's shoulder. "You know as well as I do that some of the states have become rather...unruly in our absence. Believe me, I wish more than anything that we didn't need to do this, but a message needs to be sent to the rest of our Empire. If we don't bring everyone in line now, I can only imagine how difficult it will be corralling warring states in the future."

Her fiancé looked away, deep in thought. He personally didn't have any connection to the town—he had only been once as a young child, and didn't remember much from that trip other than running through the hallways of one of his grandmother's guest houses—but he didn't want to see the place destroyed. At the same time, Kuvira had a point. They had been getting multiple reports recently about uprisings in the farthest states, and it was taking a lot of energy and resources to stabilize those who were threatening to revolt. "You're right," he said, his face resolute. "Gaoling proper will be the perfect place to show the magnificent power of our revolutionary weapon."

"I knew you'd see things my way," Kuvira smirked. "You mentioned once that you're unsure of the range of the weapon since that snivelling Zhu Li took all of the schematics, right?"

"That's correct, unfortunately. We never should have trusted her."

"I agree. But based off your memory would you say that the weapon's range is rather far?"

He thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, impressively so. I only wish I had the schematics so I could give you the exact data."

"You know, there is a high probability that the farmers of this region never heard about the evacuation of the city and will be near enough to see the beam. Would their reactions give you the data you're looking for?"

Bataar nodded. "Arguably yes. What are you thinking for next steps?"

"We collect the citizens of the farming communities from within a hundred-mile radius and make them watch as we test our newest addition to the arsenal. If that doesn't force them to join our Empire, then we'll co-opt their lands and force them to flee to the cities. They'll be our messengers-once that insufferable Raiko catches wind of what happened, he'll all but prostrate himself at our feet as soon as our army appears on the horizon."

"I guess the only question is this: when would you like the test conducted?"

"0900 tomorrow, no later."

"In that case, I'll radio the lab and get my assistants to start conducting the preliminary component checks."

"Do whatever you need to get the weapon ready to fire-I want to show the world just who they should be following if they want to be a part of making progress in the world. By the time we're through, Gaoling will be ours and the Earth Empire will be one step closer to completion."

Bataar bowed, kissed her hand, and ran off to make the necessary radio calls while Kuvira walked the opposite way to give her directives to the generals. As soon as the two were out of sight, three airbenders descended from their air scooters, touching down lightly so as to not alert the master earthbender to their location.

"Spirits, what is she up to? It took the Forces three days to test even the most basic of machinery before it was approved for the demonstration stage," Bumi muttered, crossing his arms.

"Whatever it is, that's not what we should be focusing on," Opal said. "She's testing the weapon tomorrow, and knowing her she'll probably want her people to witness its power-that's when we should get my family out of whatever prison they're being held in. With any luck, we'll be in and out before the demonstration ends!"

"That's a good idea, but there's a slight problem," Tenzin murmured, stroking his beard. "We don't know exactly where in Gaoling your family is being held, and we also don't know where she's going to be testing that weapon. At this point, we should head back to the Beifong estate and see if the earthbenders have made any progress with finding potential hiding sites for your family. With any luck, we'll be able to form a cohesive plan."

* * *

By the time the airbending trio arrived at the ancestral Beifong estate, the lot had been fortified to the teeth with stone pillars, sharp rocky spikes, and an intricate system of boobytraps that could only have been created by Kya and Izumi. "Looks like Grandma Toph isn't taking any chances," Opal observed.

"You're damn right I'm not," Toph said, startling the trio as she emerged from the gardens. "Spirit weaponry or not, Kuvira is not taking the family house if I can help it!"

Bumi raised an eyebrow. "I thought you hated Gaoling, Aunt Toph. Didn't you almost destroy the place after being forced to go back by my father?"

"He knew I had Yakone to deal with and he still dragged me along anyways-Twinkletoes really should have seen it coming," Toph said, waving the comment away dismissively. "Now, are you three airheads going to dawdle out here, or are you going to come inside and get some grub?"

The three vigorously nodded and followed the Beifong matriarch into the noisy dining room. While the airbenders were gone on their reconnaissance trip, Lin, Bolin, Korra, and Toph scoured the countryside trying to find where the Zaofu Beifongs were being kept. Tired of sitting around, Chen had sneaked out from under Kya and Izumi's noses and ran to join the group; she would have been successful had she not tumbled into a badgermole den. The teen began to crawl back to the surface, but stopped upon realizing that she felt heartbeats. As it turned out, Kuvira had hidden both her family and her lab deep in the ground in the hopes that the badgermole dens would prevent them from being found. Combined with the airbenders' new information, an effective plan was quickly formulated and automatically approved by the world leaders present. Once in place, the noisy atmosphere soon turned pleasant, and peals of laughter could be heard over steaming bowls of noodles garnished with thinly sliced meats and vegetables.

"I want to ask you about metalbending," Bolin said to Toph, his mouth full of noodles. "Su tried to teach me, but I couldn't get the hang of it. What do you recommend?"

"I used to have an academy to teach metalbenders," Toph said with some affection in her voice. "Even blockheads like you can figure it out with the right instruction."

"Yeah, she's a real sensitive instructor," Lin said under her breath. Chen, who was sitting in-between her mother and father, looked inquisitively at her. The chief had been tough on her, yes, but she had also been supportive and encouraging; if it hadn't been for her mother, she never would have grown to love bending like she did. The teen had automatically assumed that Lin instructed her the same way she had been taught, but that was clearly not the case.

Toph looked in her daughter's general direction and scowled. "Hey! I'm blind, not deaf!"

"So here's something I've always been curious about," Bolin asked, oblivious to the tension between mother and daughter. "Who's Lin's dad?"

All activity in the dining room ground to a halt, the silence palpable. Tenzin and Izumi shot a knowing look at each other; they had known the identity of Lin's father for years. A progressive Fire Nation military officer in his youth, the man had worked extensively with both their parents-in fact, it was Zuko and Katara who had introduced the man to Toph. Later in his life, he worked with Tenzin as one of Izumi's Fire Nation ambassadors. It was then that they learned of his connection to the founder of metalbending, and while it was obvious based on the relationship's timeline that he was Lin's father, the man seemed none the wiser. As such, Tenzin and Izumi swore never to tell the ambassador nor Lin of their relationship to each other. The current Republic City police chief, however, was oblivious to everyone else in the room. She wheeled around to face her mother, a scowl taking up half her face. Chen stiffened, not knowing if she should go on the offensive.

"He was a guy named Kanto. Nice man, but it didn't work out between us," Toph said blithely. A short pause later, she turned in her daughter's general direction. "Lin, I can feel your enraged breathing from here. Just say what you have to say and let's get it over with."

"Just get it over with? Just get it over with?" Lin said, agitated. "Yeah, let's not linger on the fact that I grew up without a dad. No need to get all touchy-feely about it. Just one of those things, right?"

"Hey, I forgave you and Su for all your garbage years ago. You're the only one who wants to hold onto this family drama nonsense for the rest of your life," the matriarch responded, crossing her arms in irritation. "Besides, I wouldn't be talking, considering you did the same thing to your daughter."

Chen's eyes narrowed. "No she didn't. Unlike my mother, I had no interest in who my father was and simply assumed he didn't want us. If I had asked, I know she would've answered me even if it killed her to do so. What you did was different. It was cruel and heartless, because you knew how much it meant to my mother to know her father and you STILL didn't tell her! And now here you are, 50-odd years later, telling Bolin of all people personal information that Mama should have known her entire life!"

"What garbage are you even talking about? And not knowing my father is nonsense to you?" Lin said, seething with anger. "It was important to me, and until now you wouldn't even discuss it! You know, after Su and I patched things up and Chen started to meet the rest of her family I thought 'You know, maybe I should reach out to Mom. It'd be nice to have her back in our lives, for her to know her youngest grandchild.' But I'm glad I didn't. You make me furious, and you don't understand why. When I tell you, you don't care. Once we save Su, you and I are through."

The Beifong matriarch closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "If that's your decision and that's what makes you happy, then fine."

The current police chief crossed her arms and turned away from her mother, desperately trying to keep a hold on her feelings. Chen kissed her mother on the cheek and stalked by her grandmother's chair. "We need to talk," she harshly whispered. "Now."

Ten minutes later, Toph met her youngest grandchild in the study. She had only been there a handful of times-the study had strictly been for her father's use when she was a child, and when the estate came into her ownership she found the room rather boring. "What do you want, kid? Don't you have something better to do?"

"Something better than giving you a warning? No, not really."

"A warning for what? I already told your mother I'd be out of her life after we save Su."

"That's the thing. Do you have any idea how painful it's been for you to be around? Mom has been through so much these past few days with me getting hurt at Zaofu and her only sister taken captive along with her family by a maniacal dictator. So for you to show up here after not speaking to her for over two decades and just completely disregard her feelings-it's wrong."

"You think your mother has feelings about this, kid?" Toph scoffed. "She's been halfway out the door since we first reunited in Zaofu."

"You think she doesn't?" Chen retorted, pulling out a large book from one of the shelves.

"I can hear a book, and I'm just going to warn you that whatever you're going to show me won't work."

Chen glared at her blind grandmother. "I know that, I'm opening the book so I can read to you the proof that she's in pain, and has been for a while." Clearing her throat, she began to read.

 _Dear Mother,_

 _I hope this letter finds you well. I understand that we haven't talked in quite some time, but I want to make amends. Things in my life have changed...significantly._

 _I don't know how to tell you this-I'm still in shock myself-but Mom, you're a grandmother again. I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl today. It was by far the hardest 14 hours of my life, but the most rewarding as well. How did you do this twice? I can barely sit up straight in bed, much less write this letter!_

 _I'm sure you have questions. No one knows about her, not even Tenzin-even though he is her father. He didn't even know I was pregnant. I only found out not long before he became engaged to an Air Acolyte named Pema. More than that, I couldn't bring myself to say anything and deprive him of a happy life with his future chances of me having another child are slim, and considering my baby girl was earthbending in the womb she was NOT going to be the little airbender he so desperately wants and needs. So I retreated to here, Gaoling, in the hopes of finding some peace. I have succeeded, but at a cost. When I went into labor, I was alone-no one other than our family healer was there with me. Perhaps there are some things done better on one's own, but this? I wish...I wish you had been here with me, Mom._

 _I look at her tiny, helpless form, and I can't help but wonder-how did you ever let us grow up? She may be only a few hours old, but one day soon she will be taking her first steps, bending her first pebble, going to her first day of school...I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry. I cannot imagine the pain of watching my daughter walking away even if it were only for a moment. I didn't realize how much I must have hurt you when I told you I never wanted to talk to you again, but I do now. If you're interested, I'd love to meet for tea or something. You could meet your granddaughter, and maybe we could start rebuilding a relationship. I understand if you don't want to now, but maybe one day we could all be together again._

 _Take care, Mom._

 _Your daughter,_

 _Lin_

 _P.S. I now realize I forgot to tell you the name of our newest family member. Her full name is Chen Mei-yin Beifong. Chen, because it means 'morning,' which I thought would be fitting considering she was born at 0800 today. Mei-yin, because I wanted her to have a bit of her aunt as well. Speaking of the devil, Su I know you're reading this for Mom. If a letter for you doesn't arrive with Mom's, it will soon._

Chen closed the book and put it back on its shelf, discreetly wiping away a tear. Every time she found something written during her mother's pregnancy or shortly after, it killed her to read it. She wished more than anything her mother had been surrounded by love and support from her family during that trying time, but it had taken over 13 years before that could even become a possibility. Her grandmother, with her crossed arms, seemed only marginally affected after hearing of her mother's emotions that had long since been physically locked away.

"My mom didn't send it because she was worried that you would see her as weak simply for feeling, and that was the last thing she wanted. It's the same with Auntie Su's letter too." Chen sighed. "Look, I'm glad that you decided to leave the swamp to help save our family-really, I am. But could you also be kinder to my mother? She may act as tough as the stones we bend, but she hurts so deeply. Please just see where she's coming from, if only for a minute. Promise me that?"

"Go get some sleep, little badgermole," her grandmother said quietly, avoiding any further discussion on the sensitive topic at hand. "We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Chen huffed and stormed out, annoyed that she would just skirt away from her problems. As soon as she heard the teen's bedroom door slam shut, Toph sank into the nearby desk chair, putting her head into her hands. Spirits, what was she doing? What had she done?

* * *

The next morning found the group armed to the teeth in the forests outside the ancestral home. The earthbending squadron, comprised of Bolin, Chen, Toph, and Lin, were hidden deep in the underbrush of the trees. Sensing vibrations underneath her feet, Lin radioed the air animal fleet commanded by Akari and Izumi and backed up by Tenzin and Bumi on Oogi and Opal, Korra, and Kya on Juicy. With any luck, they would be back from evacuating whatever farmers were left in the province.

"Opal I'm sensing movement, do you all have visual?" the police chief asked.

The youngest airbender peered over Juicy's head and gasped. The weapon, which was being earthbent from the ground by some of Kuvira's officers, was massive; built on a platform at least a story tall, the weapon comprised of a massive cannon controlled by some sort of control panel. She saw her eldest brother and Kuvira standing by the controls and grit her teeth; how could Junior be such a _traitor_? "I have visual," she replied sharply. "The weapon has been moved above ground and is aimed towards the center of town. You're clear to go. Be careful."

"Copy that," Lin responded. Switching off her portable radio's speaker, she turned to the others. "We have the clearance to go. Chen, if you'll do the honors?"

Her daughter nodded and earthbent an opening into the ground, dropping the group into a tunnel that had just been dug by a badgermole. Quickly closing it up, Bolin clung to the teen as darkness completely enveloped them. "I can't see, how are we supposed to find our way around?"

"Oh no, what a nightmare," Toph deadpanned.

"Bo, it's fine, just use your seismic sense," Chen reassured her friend as they followed her mother and grandmother. Upon sensing his heartbeat quicken, realization struck. "You don't know how to use seismic sense, do you?"

"No," he confessed. "Growing up on the streets and being a probender, I had to be fast and light on my feet. I couldn't afford to wait and read the vibrations."

"You can't metalbend, you can't use seismic sense-what can you do, exactly?" Toph asked, deftly maneuvering the group through the badgermoles' labyrinthine tunnels.

"I can lavabend…?" he responded, his voice trailing off.

"Really? That's a very rare ability," the legendary metalbender answered, impressed. "Maybe you do have some talent." Before Bolin could squeal from excitement that his idol called him talented, Toph held her hand up for silence. "Lin, Chen, do you feel what I feel?"

Lin placed a hand to the wall while Chen crouched, both reading the vibrations. "There's a large cavern on the other side that goes a few stories down," Lin murmured, her eyes closed. "I'd say it's empty, except there's a guard door across from us and an awful lot of mech below-they must have them in some sort of suspended prison. We'll have to hurry if we want to get out of here unscathed."

Toph nodded and opened a hole in the wall. Sure enough, their family members were being held in a large wooden box suspended over a multi-story cavern, the sound of whirring machines echoing through the chamber. Across the way the metalbender could sense the cadre of guards about to change their shifts. "We're going to need to be quiet-that means you, lavabender. Sound echoes, you know."

Lin turned to the other members of their group. "Mom, Chen, shoot me over to the cage and I'll swing them back on my cables. Bolin, you'll need to catch everyone since Mom can't see. Chen, I can see you trying to protest and it's not going to work-I'm going, no questions. Now let's get into position, I can't imagine we have long before the actual test commences."

Everyone nodded and formed a diamond formation, with Lin in the front, Toph and Chen flanking her, and Bolin in the back. With one swift movement the two Beifongs launched Lin high into the air, the current police chief flying so quickly it was only her quick use of cables that prevented her from flying over her target. She landed clumsily on her target, prompting the wooden cage to rattle and groan from the impact. Lin ducked low as she hid from the guard, the swinging cage the only thing betraying her presence. As soon as the door closed, she engaged her uniform's daggers and cut an opening into the suspended prison.

"We'll get you out one at a time," she addressed her stunned relatives. "Come on up."

One after another she flung her nephews off the wooden prison for Bolin to catch. She had to hand it to the young lavabender; the last time they had been on a mission together, he wouldn't stop talking her ear off about whatever blasted thoughts ran through his mind. Now he was silently but effortlessly carrying out his task. If he kept improving, he just might make a good beat cop.

It wasn't until after Lin had thrown Huan to safety that she ran into an issue. The elder Bataar, who was always a shy but self-assured man, had become paralyzed by his fear of heights. He gripped the bars of the cell so tightly his knuckles turned white as Su tried in vain to reassure him. "Sweetie, it will be fine. Lin won't drop you, and Bolin will catch you."

The man shook his head in response. "No, no, just go. Leave me here, I'll be fine."

Lin sighed. "I'm really sorry, but I have to do this." Curling a cable around his ankle, she chucked her screaming brother-in-law towards a waiting Bolin. Just as she was about to save Su, she saw Chen stiffen, wide-eyed as she read the grounds vibrations.

She didn't even have to turn around to feel the heat from the guard's mecha suit.

Throwing herself over Su, she snapped two of the ropes suspending the crate, which allowed them to swing away from the guard and towards their waiting family members. Gracefully jumping off, the younger Beifong sister launched herself into her mother's arms. "Mom," she breathed, hugging the woman tightly.

Lin and Chen quickly closed the door into the cavern while Bolin scrambled to turn on the portable radio. "Opal, Korra, we got everyone! We're taking your father and brothers to the estate and then we're coming up!"

"You do! Oh, thank the spirits!" Opal responded, relief evident in her voice. "Just remember when you come up, make sure you come up UNDER the machine and not BY it!"

"Of course, of course!" Bolin said affably. "How are things up there anyways?"

* * *

She should have known something was up when her soldiers began returning empty-handed, reporting that all nearly all of the farms north and south of the target town had been vacated, their fields messily harvested as if in a frantic hurry.

None of it made any sense. Only Baatar was present yesterday afternoon when she divulged her plans for Gaoling...

"You SWORE-" Kuvira growled, kicking the door to Baatar's lab car open.

"Swore what?"

"You swore loyalty to me! We're to be married and this is how you treat me? With betrayal? By telling somebody about us gathering the farmers to watch the weapon test this morning?!"

"Kuvira, love,what are you talking about?" Baatar said, hurriedly walking around from behind his work station. "You KNOW I want this as much as you do! I've given my life to our cause, I would NEVER betray you!"

"But you were the only one there and now the fields are empty and every peasant farmer gone!" Kuvira spat. "Who else could it have been?"

Baatar would have spoken again had the car not been rocked by a freak tornado that sent their soldiers scrambling into makeshift earthen tents all over the valley, burrowing underground, and seeking shelter in some of the more permanent structures erected by the army.

"What?" Kuvira gasped as she and Baatar both ran to the window.

"Our meteorologists guaranteed clear skies today!" Baatar hissed angrily, storming out of the lab followed by his fiancée.

"Dragon! On the East Side!" a soldier screamed, banging a gong as more and more infantrymen from the outer edges of camp scrambled towards central command.

"Dragon? I don't see a-"

The fire hit just behind the last line of Earth Empire Soldiers, flares of the flames licking their feet. It had flown out of the sun majestically, like a spirit descending from the heavens, and its rider, none other than-

"The Fucking Fire Lord?" Baatar croaked in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!" Kuvira ordered from the platform of the new weapon sitting on the railing at the back of their maglev train. "Baatar, get this thing ready to fire IMMEDIATELY!"

"Copy that, Great Uniter!" Baatar replied, scrambling.

Those sufficiently armored in the Earth Empire's newest mechasuits formed a protective ring around the army personnel.

"FIRE WHEN READY!" Kuvira yelled.

* * *

"Nice job, Akari, though a little too close-you could have burned somebody. Su told us these sellswords likely didn't know what they were signing up for, only that they were promised food and lodging. It's more than the Earth Queen would ever offer," Izumi whispered to her dragon, patting the side of her neck affectionately. Akari hummed happily in response.

"Love, look out!" Bumi yelled, whizzing past her on the back of Oogi as he and Tenzin flew opposite Opal and Korra. All four of them were hard at work maintaining the massive freak tornado that kicked sand up into every face below, obstructing the vision of the Earth Empire soldiers.

Izumi swerved on Akari, narrowly missing the flames shot from one of the mechasuits on the ground.

"Calling Air Unit to retreat! Earth is in position, but we need visibility! I repeat, Air Unit retreat!" Tenzin said.

"Copy that!" Izumi responded on her radio.

"Air Unit Retreating!" Kya and Opal's voices echoed.

The dragon and two bison flew out of range of the mechasuits, leaving the ground unit unable to pursue due to the high wall of a dragon's flames.

"Weapon is ready to fire!" Baatar announced.

"Great! I want to see this town DESTROYED! Show those rebels why they should GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Kuvira growled.

Baatar and two other machinists pulled various levers and switches, causing the massive cannon to whir to life. Kuvira could feel her heart pounding through her chest, her knuckles turning white from her death grip on the railing of the weapon's platform.

"Weapon is fully charged," Baatar announced.

"Fire," Kuvira replied quietly.

Baatar hit the last button. A massive purple beam with a diameter greater than the width of a Satomobile cut through the valley, but missed its target as some unknown force sent the weapon lurching violently to the side, sending the infantry into yet another frenzy as they came under attack from the ground.

"THE PRISON!" Kuvira realized, whirling around. _It must have been compromised!_

"It's a little too late for that, sweetie," Suyin replied smugly, hurling a boulder at the Great Uniter with incredible strength and accuracy for someone who had been nearly starved for the last few days.

Kuvira sneered and kicked the boulder aside effortlessly, sending a flurry of metal strips towards her former beloved teacher and mentor. Suyin weaved effortlessly through the blades as if it were a game, only enraging Kuvira even more.

"Great Uniter, Orders!" a commander called.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Kuvira yelled, bending a long sword from the mass of metal up her sleeve and going on the offensive with Suyin.

"Watch your back, Commander, before you get hit in the face by-"

 _WHACK!_

"...my darling niece," Suyin finished, hurling Kuvira over the railing as Chen nailed the commander with a rock the size of her head.

Desperate to win, Kuvira hooked her sword around the railing and swung around, kicking Suyin in the side with both feet. Groaning in agony, the matriarch fell to the ground.

 _FINALLY!_ Kuvira thought, raising four blades and readying to end the woman who caused her so much pain. Suyin gasped for air and slowly dragged herself into a sitting position, glaring at Kuvira the entire time.

 _Enemy, or not, she still raised me…_ Kuvira thought as she hesitated for just one moment too long.

"NOT ON MY WATCH, BITCH!" Lin Beifong yelled, leaping onto the platform as she ensnared Kuvira's ankle with a metal cable. In one swift movement the police chief lifted her into the air and slammed her into the side of railing. Kuvira tried to hide her pain as she stood up; gently feeling her ribs, it was obvious at least two of them were cracked, or at least badly bruised.

"Get back to Kya!" Lin yelled to her sister, keeping an eye on the Great Uniter the entire time.

"I'm fine! Go watch Chen, I can handle Kuvira!" Suyin replied as she got to her feet. Gritting her teeth through the pain, Kuvira sliced through Lin's cable with a metal strip and flung one dangerously close to the Police Chief's face.

"Listen to your big sister, Su!" Kuvira yelled before bending the metal plate right beneath the matriarch of Zaofu. Su, who was standing behind the chief, found herself launched from the weapon's control platform entirely.

"You're going to pay for that, and everything else you've done," Lin growled, drawing her metal blade out of her left gauntlet. The two went head to head in close quarters, narrowly avoiding death every couple fractions of a second. The police chief could see why Su, despite her mastery and being personally taught by Toph Beifong, struggled to a stalemate back in Zaofu; for all of her grandstanding, Kuvira truly was an accomplished fighter. She glanced over Kuvira's shoulder, fully intending to distract her when a blue blur caught her eye. She retreated just as a pair of legs looped around the Great Uniter's neck and shoulder in a scissor grip and flipped her over vertically.

Kuvira tumbled to face her new opponent.

" _You_ ," Korra snarled.

Kuvira growled and charged towards the Avatar. Korra sent three quick fire jabs to her opponent, which the Great Uniter quickly dodged and returned with blades from her uniform. The Avatar sent a stream of fire Kuvira's way, but the young woman ducked and created a mini-earthquake, which knocked Korra off her feet. Taking advantage of her position, Kuvira bent a sheet of metal around the Avatar.

Effectively trapped, Korra struggled against the metal strip holding her in place as Kuvira slid her around the weapon's platform. As soon as Korra managed to release herself, she charged, diving over one plate, sliding under another and into the Great Uniter's legs, throwing her fifteen feet up into the air with an air spout. As the Earth Empress twisted up, she revealed another plate under her command and used it to slam the Avatar down into the control platform of the rail-mounted weapon. The attacks from both fighters were becoming messier and messier to the surrounding masters, who stole a moment to watch from their respective fighting positions.

"Mama! You okay?" Chen asked as she appeared beside her mother, who was watching the battle closely while nursing an injured arm. Her fight with Kuvira had been intense, and breaking her family out of their wooden box had been hard work physically, but she could not recall for the life of her when or how she dislocated her shoulder. Thankfully she had managed to find Kya during the melee and get it healed, but it still ached far more than it should.

"I'm fine, little Sakura," Lin replied, putting an uninjured arm around her daughter. Looking around, she was grateful that her family and friends were still standing. The majority of the Earth Empire Soldiers, on the other hand, were either injured or too frightened to keep fighting. To her surprise she found herself missing her mother; if she were here, she would be able to knock everyone into submission and finish off this blasted battle.

At an impasse in her fight against the Avatar, Kuvira bent a glob of meteor earth she had hidden in a box of spare parts towards the Water Avatar, who bent it like a fluid before returning it. Korra sent air as Kuvira tore a bit of railing off the weapon, slapping around her waist, throwing her back a few yards to get more distance as she was nearly launched from her weapon.

"That's it!" Chen yelled, leaping over Korra as she rolled over to where the two Beifong women were standing. "This will be the LAST time you even THINK of hurting any member of my family!"

"I'm not after your pathetic family! They're merely obstacles that need to be eliminated for me to reach my goals, surely you can understand that through your thick skull!" Kuvira replied, stumbling towards Chen.

Before either prodigious metalbender could strike, someone's voice on the Earth Empire's loudspeaker rang out. "Shit's going down, I repeat, SHIT IS GOING DOWN!"

 _They found and took the communications room of the hangar?_ Kuvira gasped, falling for yet another distraction. When she looked up again, Chen was gone, as was Korra and the Chief. Even Baatar Jr. had disappeared from the platform of the weapon. Baatar would never leave, not unless-

Just then she heard the piercing screech of a dragon and felt a wave of heat rush towards her. Blinded by a flash of blue light, she jumped from the last car just in time to avoid the bolt of lightning that struck the entire train car, her ribs screaming in pain from the impact.

* * *

"It's going to fire again!" Baatar realized as he heard the cannon whir to life a second time. "Mother, we have to save Kuvira!" Baatar yelled as Suyin restrained her unwilling son. Furious, he turned to the Fire Lord as she landed her dragon. "What did you do to it?"

"I did what we agreed to do yesterday: destroy the thing so it can't destroy any town!" Izumi replied crisply.

"Well whatever you intended to do didn't work-it's going to fire anyways!" Chen realized as Kuvira frantically tried to stop the weapon in her frazzled state. "Maybe I can redirect the spirit energy with that communications tower. There must be a receiver on the top of the thing, right, Junior?"

Junior moved to answer when his aunt cut him off. "Chen, you are NOT going into the line of fire of that thing! I won't let you!" Lin said, grabbing her daughter's wrist. Chen took one last look at her family, shook herself out of her mother's grip, and ran.

"Chen? CHEN!" Lin yelled, sprinting after her. There was no way in this world or that of the spirits that she was going to let her daughter get hurt. Hearing her mother's panicked yells, Chen sent a small wave of rock behind her to prevent her from getting closer. Tripping and falling, Lin pulled herself up as her daughter got farther away with every second.

"CHEEEN!"

* * *

This should NOT have happened. In every single one of the scenarios Bataar set up, none of them involved the weapon turning on and readying itself to fire after it had been turned off. Then again, none of the scenarios anticipated the fucking Fire Lord to show up and shoot the thing up with lightning from the back of her fucking dragon. Desperately trying to fix the weapon, she heard a familiar voice screaming.

CHEEEN!

Kuvira stilled, stunned. Something about the pain and desperation in the mother's voice struck something in the young lady, and made her remember something from what felt like another life entirely…

 _"CHEEEN!" Kuvira ran to the edge of the cliff, her heart beating out of her chest. As a surprise, the captain had decided to take the girl to her favorite cliff near the Beifong lotus for a picnic during the weekend. Entranced by the view, Chen had walked forward for a closer look only to have gotten too close to the edge and fallen._

 _Spirits alive, Chief Beifong was going to kill her._

 _Sprinting to the cliffside, Kuvira bent a rock platform underneath her feet and jumped. Sliding down, she desperately searched for the young girl and prayed that she wasn't too late. She landed on the beachfront to find a pile of rubble on the ground._

 _"No, no, NO!" She scrambled up the rock pile and bent away boulders to find a dusty, bruised, but blessedly alive Chen. Pulling her out, she gave her a bone-crushing hug, not caring that they were both covered in sludge and rock from their respective tumbles._

 _"Don't you ever do that again!" she said, pressing a kiss to the girl's head. "You could have died!"_

 _"Kuvi, it's okay," Chen insisted, shaking herself out of the young woman's hug. "I'm an earthbender, I could have climbed back up!"_

 _"I know, I know," Kuvira fretted, bending the earth from their clothes. "I was scared is all. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you."_

 _"Why, because my mother would kill you?"_

 _"No, it's not that, though I have no doubt that she would have. It's just-Chen, you're like a little sister to me. It would kill me if anything happened to you."_

 _"Even more so than Opal?" Chen asked curiously. It was no secret that Kuvira was fond of the other Beifong girl. She wrote her long letters detailing Zaofu's current events, and many of her bedroom's photos showed her and Opal through the years._

 _"DEFINITELY more than Opal. Remember, I'm dating Junior. If I consider Opal as my sister, then that would mean I'd consider Junior my brother...you can see how that would be awkward."_

 _"Fair enough," Chen conceded. "But what about Auntie Su? Surely you consider her to be somewhat of a mother to you?"_

 _"Our relationship is...complicated," Kuvira softly admitted. "While she may train me and I may live under her roof, I'm not treated like Opal or the boys. I know she genuinely cares about me, but it's not in a motherly way even if she raised me." The captain shrugged. "It's for the best anyways. I'm the Captain of the Guard AND I'm dating her eldest son. Her being motherly would only complicate things."_

 _"If you say so," Chen said, dubious. Though she wasn't a strong truth seer, it was clear that the young woman's weak relationship with Suyin bothered her. Wanting to brighten her spirits, Chen hugged her. "Kuvi, don't dwell on it right now. Junior pretty much worships the ground you walk on, and you know how much Opal loves you. But more than that, you have me. You know, when I was little sometimes I wished I had an older sister-never a younger one, for some reason, but guess that doesn't matter now that I have two. I always imagined that she would be strong, kind, intelligent-well, like you really. And now I have one and that makes me really happy."_

 _Kuvira brightened and kissed the girl's head once more. "It makes me happy too, badgermole. Now come on, let's climb up this rock wall and hope we still have our picnic basket."_

 _Chen furrowed her brows. "The picnic basket wasn't anywhere close to the cliff edge, though."_

 _"True, but a full picnic basket just out in the open? Try telling me Wei and Wing wouldn't try and eat their way through it."_

 _"Fair point." Chen looked at the cliffside and mischievously grinned. "Race you up there! Three, two, one, GO!"_

 _Go!_ As if on cue, Kuvira leapt over the broken railing and took off running after the teen. She pushed herself despite the stabbing pain in her ribs, easily out-sprinting the mother racing towards her baby.

There was a familiarity in the girl's determination and selflessness that Kuvira saw immediately. She, like Kuvira, was willing to do anything to reach her end goal. While Kuvira's was to save her Kingdom from collapse, Chen's was to save Gaoling and her family.

Kuvira leapt on the child from behind. "You'd destroy them by getting yourself killed by that thing!" she whispered as she bent a large earthen wedge behind them. The world was silent around them, the blood pulsing in their veins the only sound to be heard. It was peaceful, almost.

Then the weapon fired. And after that, they heard nothing.


	18. Chapter 18

Hi everyone, hope you enjoy the chapter!

As always, infinite thanks to my beta reader! You're the best!

* * *

Chen was born on a day like this: bright, sunny, with the wind carrying just the slightest hint of flowers. How cruel that she should die on a day like that. How utterly, completely cruel.

Lin had occasionally regretted introducing her daughter to the whole world, but not nearly as bitterly as she did now. What she wouldn't give to have left her daughter in the dark, to ensure her safety through ignorance! She had devoted her life to protecting that little girl, to making sure that she in turn could defend herself should a time come. But now she was gone, shot down by a spirit ray as brilliant as her smile.

How could she be gone?

Chen being gone was not a world she had prepared for, not a world she had ever thought she needed to prepare for. The girl's 16, she hasn't even reached the prime of her life!

Hadn't reached the prime of her life. Hadn't.

She felt herself being gently carried by her ex onto their friend's dragon, his strong arms the only thing preventing her from collapsing into a heap on the ground. She nestled deeper into his arms and wrapped herself in his robes, all sense of propriety washed away by grief and a need to feel something other than the excruciating pain of losing her only baby. Not that he minded; Tenzin clutched her close to his chest, his harsh sobs filling the air. Their only child together was gone from the physical world forever. He had only come to Gaoling to protect their child, and he had failed in doing even that. How was he going to tell the kids?

Spirits, the kids. He still had Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Rohan at home. Lin no longer had anyone. The thought alone killed him.

He didn't have long to ponder, for Izumi's dragon had taken him to his daughter's grave. A crater appeared before the earthen wedge, as if it had been excavated at the same rate at which the shield was reinforced. Just beyond the primitive shield, the bodies of the great uniter and the young metalbender lay unmoving, Kuvira's back burned extensively.

The Fire Lord gently placed a comforting hand on Tenzin's shoulder. "I'll take it from here," she said, her voice barely holding steady. Izumi approached the bodies slowly, eying the burns with concern that morphed into resignation. She looked down at Chen, whose face was frozen in a peaceful sleep. Izumi drew a sleeve up to hide her tears; she had loved the girl like her own, but it was not her place to show such emotion, not when her friends' grief was so much greater than hers. Just as she turned to leave, Chen's chest rose slightly and fell. She blinked, confused. _Was that...was that I what I think it is?_

Uncertain, she bent down and placed a hand on the girl's torso and leaned her head on the limp body. Startled, she turned to her grieving friends. "Lin, Tenzin, she's breathing!"

Lin instinctively jumped out of Tenzin's arms, sprinting towards the Fire Lord while her ex ran at the same break-neck speed. Izumi moved to check Kuvira, careful to not roll her or get dirt in the burns. After checking her pulse, the answer was clear. "They both are!" Izumi breathed to herself. How was that even _possible?_ It had taken nearly all of Korra's energy to redirect the spirit ray's energy away from the living. These two had taken the full brunt of the spirit cannon and were still alive?

Not that Lin cared about the technicalities. Running to the protective wedge, she slid to her knees and gently gathered the girl into her arms. "Chen?" she whispered, her voice trembling with joy. "Chen, it's Mommy. Wake up, cherry blossom." After the girl didn't respond, Lin's soft smile faded into a worried frown. "Why isn't she waking up?"

"They could have fallen and hit their heads. Then again, considering how close they were to the spirit beam it's possible that the energy from the spirit cannon affected them somehow," the Fire Lord commented, thoughtful. "If the latter is the case, I can use purifying fire to cleanse their spirits, though I recommend that we move them to your estate before I do so."

"There's only one way to find out," Tenzin said, kneeling next to Lin and their daughter. Gently, he pressed a hand to his daughter's head; he frowned, recognizing the feeling. Unsettled, he repeated the same action with Kuvira only to come to a dreaded conclusion. "I almost wish they had hit their heads-they're both stuck in the Spirit World!"

"What?" Lin asked, too much in shock to fully process. "Are-are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Tenzin confirmed. "I had the same thing happen with Jinora three years ago-the shallow breathing, the lack of color, it fits perfectly. Not to mention that I can't sense either of their spirits-only that they should be there, but are not."

"But you can find them, right?" Izumi pressed. "You can go into the Spirit World and bring them back?"

The airbending master hesitated. "I've only managed it three times since Harmonic Convergence. I'm not sure I'll be able to get in again."

"Tenzin, we don't have that kind of time. You have to try, for Chen's sake," Lin pleaded.

"They're still alive?"

The group turned to find Korra and Kya walking towards them, a stunned Junior sliding off of Oogi. Kya walked towards her niece and stopped, taken aback by the Great Uniter's blistering back. "Oh spirits, that's bad," she grimaced as she knelt next to Kuvira and began trying to heal her burns. "Tui and La, how are they still breathing?"

"I'm not sure," Tenzin admitted. "But somehow they're both trapped in the Spirit World. Korra, would you be able to find them and bring them back?"

"I can't guarantee anything, but I'll try," Korra said, nodding her assent. Lin analyzed the Avatar closely as the young woman knelt next to Chen and began to bend water onto key points of the girl's chi pathways. Having Korra strain herself after today's events wasn't the best idea, but if Tenzin couldn't guarantee his entrance to the Spirit World then she didn't see any other option.

"How long can you keep their energy flowing, exactly?" Junior asked nervously, kneeling next to his fiancée. He had hardly seen her sick, much less this close to death. To say that it was jarring was an understatement.

"A week, if we're lucky," Kya said, her movements now mirroring Korra's. "That's assuming the physical body is in healthy condition. In her case...it will be less."

"We need to get them both to the estate," Lin murmured, cradling her daughter. Tenzin crouched next to her, a shoulder around hers as they watched Chen breathing.

Taking charge, Izumi faced the group. "If that's the case then we need to move everyone as quickly as possible. Korra, Kya, you two accompany Lin, Tenzin, and the injured back to the estate. Bumi and I will take care of the military base."

"Military base?" Junior questioned. "What for, exactly?"

Izumi raised an eyebrow. "Bataar Junior, surely you realized that the malfunctioning of your spirit cannon was a failure in more ways than one-"

"It wouldn't have been a failure if YOU hadn't shot the damn thing," Junior muttered.

Izumi glared at him but consciously chose to not engage. They barely had enough time as it was. "The Earth Empire cannot continue to exist, not after attempting to use a weapon immorally powered by the purest of energy sources, a weapon that could all too easily destroy whole cities and their citizens. No, Bataar Junior, we must talk _now_."

The engineer looked down at his love, deep in thought. He knew on a fundamental level that the Fire Lord was right. The second firing of the spirit cannon had all but doomed their cause, its destructive capabilities undermining everything they had worked towards. Yet at the same time, he could not move forward without his love and superior there. If Kuvira was furious over the discovery of their plans for Gaoling, how would she react to the dissolving of their entire nation?

"I agree that we should speak regarding the future of the Earth Empire," he said slowly. "Yet surely you realize that I only carry out and enforce the political side of our nation? I am not involved with creating those plans-only Kuvira is, just as she is not responsible for any technological innovations. Those are all mine."

"So what exactly are you saying?" Izumi responded, crossing her arms. It was clear that Junior had inherited Su's talent for diplomacy-or, rather, her uncanny tendency to avoid self-accountability. She knew just as well as the others that he had encouraged Kuvira's plans, just as she had done with his. This already didn't bode well for the future.

"I'm only saying that all I can guarantee is that the Earth Empire will never again use the spirit cannon or any type of technology that is reliant on spirit vines," Junior responded, his gaze briefly meeting his aunt's. "As for the future of the Earth Empire itself-that must be discussed with Kuvira. Master Kya said that if we're lucky, it will only take a week to heal the two-"

"She may not heal at all if you keep stalling." Izumi interrupted darkly.

Baatar stood immediately. "Kya, Korra, you guys should get going. YOU, on the other hand, are coming with me." Izumi decided, grabbing Baatar by his sleeve while Tenzin helped Chen and Lin into Oogi's saddle. The two waterbenders gently carried Kuvira into the saddle, taking great care not to touch the burns that had not been examined yet. Once everyone was settled in Tenzin took the reins, ushering the group off to the Beifong's ancestral seat.

Izumi released her grip on the engineer's sleeve as soon as the group left, only to throw him on her dragon. Boarding Akari herself, she flew towards the military base, where Bumi, Suyin, Opal, and Bolin were waiting by Juicy. Upon seeing their rogue family member, Su and Opal scowled.

"Junior actually has a proposition for us," Izumi said, gesturing towards the young man. "Either that, or he will be fed to Akari for lying to me."

"And why should we listen to him?" Opal asked harshly, wiping tears away with the back of her hand. Bolin brought her closer to his side, trying to comfort her as much as he could. "His actions killed our only cousin! He's in no place to negotiate!"

"That's the thing, Opal—Chen's alive. Both of them are, actually."

The young airbender froze, stunned by the news. Bolin broke into a wide smile, Bumi grinned, and Suyin's face became unreadable as she debated the merits of Kuvira being alive. Taking advantage of the shift in the atmosphere, Junior cleared his throat.

"I propose this: until the Earth Empress recovers, we have a truce. It is the fairest way to proceed."

In response, the others gathered together far enough away to where Junior couldn't hear, but close enough to where they could still watch him. Akari hissed at him menacingly, lest he try to run. Izumi looked to the others. "Recovery isn't going to be swift for Kuvira. Can we afford a truce that's at least two weeks long?"

"I don't think so," Opal said. "That gives the Earth Empire enough time to place another leader that could potentially continue Kuvira's destructive plans for total domination of former earth kingdom territories."

Bolin nodded. "I agree. Kuvira has an organized enough hierarchy where they could easily nominate someone else to take over and continue the Earth Empire's goals. The longer we wait, the more likely that's going to happen."

"On the other hand, I think we can wait," Bumi said, politely disagreeing. "From what it looks like, these metal wimps only listen to Kuvira and even then, it's only out of fear. After my dear wife shot up the spirit weapon, all morale was lost and many of her forces retreated. We should wait-they will listen to Kuvira when she wakes, and Kuvira only."

"Or they'll give up on her entirely when they see just how weak a state she's in," Suyin suggested. "As surprised as I am to say it, I think it's best we wait it out and see. Chances are, we will get the upper hand."

"So we accept?" Izumi asked.

Everyone present nodded. The Fire Lord walked gracefully towards the rogue Beifong. "We accept the terms of your truce. Now your mother and I will follow you as you tell the troops of this new development. Bumi, Opal, Bolin, you three head back to the Beifong estate-there's something you need to see." With that Izumi and Su dragged Junior to the intercom system, their respective elements aimed at his neck should he attempt to do anything contrary to what he promised.

* * *

She had never laid in a field so soft.

As an earthbender she was most at home with the earth, a fact that she was made well aware of when she took her younger siblings on an open-air camping trip one spring weekend. Wanting to get more comfortable, she tried to adjust herself only to find someone on top of her. "AHH!" she and Kuvira yelled, both earthbenders scrambling away from each other.

Kuvira quickly rose to her feet and looked around, attempting to take in her environment. "Where are we? Are we...dead?"

"Yep," Chen replied, stroking the petal of a violet poppy. "We're in the Spirit World now, thanks to you."

The Great Uniter sunk to her knees, the revelation hitting hard. "No-I bent a wedge over us, I protected you! At least, I tried to…"

"Well, it obviously didn't work since we're here. Yay us."

"Where exactly is here?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Chen snapped. "They don't exactly teach Spirit World geography in schools. It's not like they say 'remember class, when you're in the field of violet poppies make a left at the neon talking mushroom and you'll find Wan Shi Tong's library!'"

At that moment the landscape shifted, the azure sky and violet poppies quickly transforming into dense brush and tree cover so overgrown it obfuscated the sky. In front of them were two large trees holding up a regal upside down domed building. They took one step only to find themselves inside of a large library.

"How on earth did you do that?" Kuvira breathed.

"And _why_ would you do that when you know very well that mortals aren't welcome here?" an ominous, looming voice inquired as a figure cast a massive shadow above the two earthbenders.

"Huh?" Both instinctively turned, attempting to launch some piece of the stone walkway up at the presence only to find their abilities gone.

"Foolish mortals. The chi that enables you to bend your frivolous elements remains with your bodies in the physical world," the voice said, revealing itself to be a massive black-and-white barn owl. "Unless your physical body walks through a spirit portal, you're powerless."

"Ah yes, our bodies. It's a shame they were DESTROYED in the physical world, _Kuvira._ "

"Let me enlighten you girl. You are not dead no matter how much I wish you were. The smell would have been much more pleasant when you waltzed right into my great library, but alas, you and all of your insufferable emotions are here."

"What?" Kuvira asked, blinking in confusion. How was that possible?

"So let me get this straight, the giant explosion from that stupid weapon didn't kill us but sent us to the spirit world instead, which most likely severed our connection to our physical bodies? Sure, great, PERFECT!" Chen ranted, not caring about the giant owl spirit watching her every move.

"Excuse me? Forgive me for wanting to keep you alive, at least for your family's sake! Do you even care how much your death would have hurt your mother? It would have _killed_ her!"

"DON'T BRING MY MOTHER INTO THIS!" Chen shrieked, quickly quieting upon remembering where she was. "My question for you is why? Why would you care to keep me alive when minutes before you were perfectly okay with blowing up my family's hometown?"

"It was empty! I never wanted to hurt anybody! I only wanted to make a statement so that the Air Nomads and the Fire Lord would GET OUT OF MY WAY so that I could save my country- _our_ country!"

"And you thought that a weapon powered by spirit vines was the way to go? Really? You didn't stop to think for one single minute about how terrible of an idea that was?"

"Well... what else could I have used to contend with the Fire Lord's Lightning?"

"Perhaps some rhetoric is required?" Wan Shi Tong suggested, bowing to their eye level. "Once again, you mortals made the mistake of relying on the artificial strength of military might rather than using your head sometimes. If you knew _anything_ about your enemies, it would be that they don't like fighting and could have reached an agreement that would have allowed you to keep your Empire. You killed that chance the moment you declared yourself the Earth Empress in the name of keeping peace in the Kingdom."

"Don't you have better things to do than insult us?" Kuvira fumed, turning towards the spirit.

"Us? I believe he is only insulting you," Chen scoffed, crossing her arms.

"You're both fools, and frankly, I find it amusing to watch you bicker over such trivial things such as life and death, motivation, grief and family… All so overrated," Wan Shi Tong drily said. "Anyways, as wonderful as it has been hosting you two, you all must go. Humans are no longer allowed in my study."

"Hang on, my little sister came here three years ago and you let her in so long as she contributed a new piece of knowledge," the teen said, putting her hands on her hips.

"And what could the likes of you possibly have to offer to he who knows ten thousand things?"

"If you run an electrical current through a piece of spirit vine, it generates an absurd amount of energy capable of decimating cities, leveling mountains, and bringing nations to their knees," Kuvira offered, her voice surprisingly steady. Chen glared at the young woman.

The owl spirit sighed. "I did not, but it sounds reasonable-I guess that will work. And you, girl child?"

"Did you know that you can manipulate metal through the tiny pieces of earth it contains?"

Wan Shi Tong sighed. "Yes I did. A blind earthbender named Toph Beifong discovered that ability, that I was aware of."

"That would be my grandmother, sir," Chen replied, hoping that her grandmother's name would curry favor with the spirit. "Did you know that there is an earthbending technique that even she can't best?"

"Attempt to enlighten me. And do actually try this time," the great spirit responded flatly.

Chen sighed, annoyed with the spirit. Small wonder Jinora detested the library despite being such a bookworm. "Earthbenders can use their bending to sense things such as people's heartbeats. It's a useful way to determine someone's location. However, if you shift your feet to the pattern of your heartbeat, you cancel out your heartbeat and make yourself invisible to anyone with seismic sense. I would give a demonstration, but that's not possible since I'm not in my physical body and am without my bending."

The owl spirit thought for a moment. "That I did not know. But why would you even want to remain here?"

"To figure out how to get out of this place, for starters," Chen replied, crossing her arms. "Trust me, we want to leave just as desperately as you want us gone."

"Fine, you both have access to my study. But if you dare defile my vast collection of knowledge with the primitive purpose of gaining an edge over other humans, I will know. Furthermore, I'll add your heads to my rather extensive...collection." With that the spirit flew away, deftly navigating the pillars and walkways of the magnificent library.

"Come on, let's find a Knowledge Seeker. They'll be our best bet for finding what we need so that we can both get out of here," Chen muttered. "Excuse me, knowledge seeker? Do you have a section on spirituality in the Earth Kingdom?"

After following the fox spirit to their requested section, the girls got to work, poring over book after book. Closing her third book, Kuvira reached out for another that caught her eye and began to peruse it. "Can I ask you something?" she said, her gaze flicking over to the young metalbender across from her.

"You can, but I might not answer."

"Why didn't you tell that owl spirit that you're Avatar Aang's eldest grandchild? Wouldn't that have gained you more favor?"

"I may be Tenzin's daughter, but I've been Lin Beifong's for much longer. My mother's family will always be the side I identify with more strongly, getting close with my dad didn't change much in that regard." Chen closed her book and looked thoughtfully into the distance. "Plus, the last time a family member identified themselves as one of Avatar Aang's descendants, Wan Shi Tong captured their soul for a crazy theocratist-it's best that I didn't disclose that little factoid. Now can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why did you save me?"

Kuvira blinked and looked up at the young earthbender across from her, whose gaze bored into her soul. Or projection-whatever they were at this moment. "I told you, I saved you because I wanted to spare your family the pain of living through life without you. Your death would have destroyed them. Don't you believe that?"

"Considering you went from attacking my aunt in Zaofu to saving my life in the span of a minute, not particularly."

The Great Uniter sighed. "Fine. I saved you because-well, because _I_ didn't want to lose you. When I heard your mother calling out for you, I realized just how close I was to losing you too, so I ran and tackled you before the spirit cannon could kill you. Your death wouldn't have just devastated your mother-it would have devastated me too."

Chen squinted and leaned forward. "How do I know that you're not lying to me? That you're not just sweet-talking me so that you can get out of whatever mess we're returning to and go back to conquering the Earth Kingdom?"

Kuvira sighed. The girl clearly didn't trust her; she couldn't blame her for that, not after recent events. "Do you remember how I knocked you out in Zaofu?"

"Yeah, you shifted the ground underneath my feet so quickly that it sent me flying backwards some yards. Thanks for that concussion, by the way."

"You know I could have subdued you immediately, right? So why would I choose a move that would move you away from me instead of neutralizing you? I wouldn't do that unless…"

"You never wanted to hurt me in the first place," Chen murmured. _So she never wanted to hurt me-why, especially considering what she did to my family? It's not like it was before-I doubt she even remembers. Unless…?_ Not wanting to think about further implications, she changed the subject. "What are you reading? That doesn't look like a book on spiritualism to me."

"It's not. Well, at least not entirely," the young woman answered, not taking her eyes off her reading material. "It discusses an uprising that Avatar Kyoshi put down in the northeastern Earth Kingdom in her early days of being the Avatar. Apparently rogue bandits ransacked the countryside while the king did nothing but sit on the riches of the taxes he collected, ignoring the bandits until they were on the palace's doorstep. Kyoshi made a deal with the king-she'd provide the security necessary to protect his city's cultural heritage if he would actually work for his people's interests. This gained him great adoration by the lower classes but great enmity with the upper classes, who were displeased with the lack of attention. So a group of Upper Ring earthbenders decided to take matters into their own hands and rule the Kingdom the way they saw fit."

"Hmmm...doesn't that sound familiar," Chen replied, staring pointedly at the Great Uniter. "Are you trying to come up with new ways to subjugate your empire?"

"Just trying to learn from the mistakes of the past-surely as a history lover you'd appreciate that," Kuvira answered, glaring at the teen. "The situation now is so similar to what happened then-I just thought I'd see if there was a way to fix what I've done without additional bloodshed."

"Well, considering this was over 400 years ago and there wasn't a weapon of mass destruction involved, I'm guessing no, there isn't," Chen retorted, glaring at the young woman one last time before returning to an Air Nomad-authored book.

"Seriously? You're not the least bit interested in this? It talks about how Kyoshi started the Dai Li to protect Ba Sing Se from the elitists while she traveled with her eponymous warriors to protect her people. Skirmishes broke out periodically-only to be quickly squashed by the Avatar-until she discovered that the elitists had corrupted the Dai Li, promising them riches in exchange for being freed. To stop them, Kyoshi travelled to a sacred Banyan tree and used the Avatar state to fuse with the vines to...amplify...her connection...to...all...of...the...elements-CHEN!" she exclaimed upon the girl snatching the book out of her hand. "Hey! That could be helpful-"

"Absolutely not!" Chen fumed, barely restraining herself from smacking Kuvira with the book. "You're not the Avatar, so don't you dare get any ideas! Besides, Korra's been to the Banyan tree, and you know what happened? Nothing! She meditated, and that was it!"

"I don't believe that," Kuvira murmured to herself. Curious, she turned to her companion. "When did she go to the banyan tree? Was that immediately after the Red Lotus?"

"She went to the swamp to be healed a couple weeks ago and came across the great Banyan tree. She had a nice meditation session, felt her stamina return, and then we booked it to Zaofu to mitigate my mom's wrath for not returning home on time only to run into you." Chen smiled wryly. "Then again, Korra's stamina probably returned due to getting all that residual metal out of her system. Either way, it was an interesting time."

Faint lines of confusion creased Kuvira's forehead. "I don't understand-I thought Suyin removed everything."

"So did Korra, until she made an impromptu visit to the apartment in Republic City. She thought she was weak from overexertion-it wasn't until I bent a piece of metal out of her body that she knew otherwise." The teen shrugged. "Things happen, I guess. And I certainly can't fault my aunt for saving both Korra and the entirety of the Avatar cycle."

"No, you can't," the young woman said softly. If Chen didn't know any better, she would have sworn that Kuvira's voice had a bit of tenderness to it. Sighing, she reached over Chen to grab an Air Nomad treatise about Earth Kingdom spirituality. "Let's just keep reading. Maybe we'll make some headway soon."

The teen nodded and silently chose another book from her sizable stack. Sooner or later, they'd return to the physical world, she just had to wait it out.

The only question was, for how long?

* * *

Lin didn't remember much after Oogi landed at the family estate.

She remembered Tenzin carrying her and Chen down using his airbending, making sure to do the same with Kuvira's body. She vaguely remembered the twins' excitement at seeing their aunt morph into terror upon seeing Chen unconscious. At some point Huan and Bataar Sr. had come running out, but when she wasn't sure. The only thing she did remember, ironically enough, was Kya's reaction to the estate's healing hut. "Healing hut?" Kya had scoffed upon seeing the two-story building equipped with machinery that rivaled most hospitals. "If this is a healing hut, then the healing room in the White Lotus compound is a hole in the ground."

Lin said nothing as she gently placed Chen in the large healing pool, the girl's raven-black hair fanning out in the water. In another part of the room Korra delicately laid Kuvira face-down on a bed, her water-covered hands hovering over the young woman's extensive burns. Sighing, Lin retreated from the edge of the pool as Kya moved Chen's chi through her body, her eyes never lifting from Chen's peaceful face. Tenzin sat next to her, bringing her close to his side as they watched over their daughter.

"Kuvira!"

The two parents looked up to see Junior run across the room to Kuvira's body. Su followed him in and immediately joined Lin and Tenzin, drawing them close into a hug. She held them for hours, their focus solely on Chen; they would have stayed there all night had Opal not called everyone to dinner. "Go, eat," Lin murmured. "I'm not hungry."

Tenzin began to protest but felt a hand stopping him. "I'll take it from here," Korra said softly, a reassuring smile on her face. "You too Kya-I can move their chi while you're gone. Junior, can you help me move Kuvira to the pool?"

Junior quickly helped, pressing a kiss to his fiancee's forehead before following everyone out. As soon as they were out of earshot, Korra knelt down and hugged her old guardian so fiercely that Lin almost fell over. "I'll bring her back, Mama Lin," the young woman whispered. "I promise."

The police chief nodded silently, quickly kissing the top of the Avatar's head before the young woman returned to moving Kuvira and Chen's chi throughout their bodies. Lin watched Korra work, impressed by her abilities. She shouldn't be shocked; Katara and Kya taught her how to heal before teaching her how to fight, and Mako had expressed his preference for Korra's healing multiple times over the years that she had known him. She had assumed that he preferred her healing because they were friends and teammates. After a few minutes, however, it was clear that she was a powerful healer in her own right despite being exhausted from redirecting the spirit cannon's energy. She was shifting their chi with only a few arm movements, yet there was so much strength that the metalbender swore that she herself could feel the changes.

"You can't hole yourself up in here, you know."

Irritated, Lin turned to find her mother standing in the doorway, two bowls in her hands. Smirking, the legendary metalbender turned to Korra. "Kid, why don't you get some grub and a nap? If Airhead's blabbering is any indication, you have a long night ahead of you."

The Avatar's gaze darted between the two women and she quickly left. Once Korra's footsteps faded, Toph sat next to her daughter and shoved a bowl in her lap. The police chief was about to put it aside when a fragrant whiff caught her attention. Sitting up straight, she looked down to find pork shoulder and a hard-boiled egg braised in coconut soda, a little soy sauce, and star anise and placed upon a bed of white rice. Her mother had even added a handful of finely chopped green onions on top as a garnish.

"You used to love this as a child. I figured if I was going to make you eat anything, it might as well be this."

"It's still a favorite-thank you."

The two women ate in silence. Once she finished her meal, Lin spoke, her eyes still fixated on the younger of the two lifeless forms submerged in healing water. "I'm surprised you're still here. I thought you would have left after you made sure the boys were safe."

"I thought so too, but like you, _my_ daughter also remains unmoving, unresponsive, unseeing…and I cannot possibly leave her while she is in such a state," Toph explained, empty bowl in hand, murky eyes fixed on nothing as she sat. Lin visibly tensed but said nothing in response. "I know I may not always act like it, but I do care about you, Lin. You will always be my little badgermole and I would do anything for you and Su, I hope you know that." Toph said, slowly wrapping a bony arm around her daughter's shoulder.

Lin tried to resist at first, but felt her walls falling with each second that passed in her mother's arms. She broke out into tears, harsh, ragged sobs filling the air. Her daughter was her entire world; the fact that she had come so close to death, was _still_ so close to death terrified her. She quickly tired and stilled. She hated crying, especially in front of her mother; it was a sign of weakness, and weakness was something her mother abhorred.

"Let it out, badgermole," Toph soothed, gently rubbing her back. "Crying just shows that you're human. Masking your pain with anger and hate would be an even greater show of weakness, as I have come to realize." Lin only sniffed in response. After some moments of silence, Toph quietly cleared her throat. "You did well in letting them bring Kuvira back here-I could not be prouder of you."

"She saved Chen-I had to," her daughter said softly, looking to the young woman across from her daughter. If she was being honest, the thought of leaving Kuvira behind to die had never crossed her mind. She had saved her daughter's life, saving hers was the least that Lin could do.

"No, you didn't," Toph said pointedly. "As chiefs of police, we both know that one good deed is not enough to atone for three years of pillaging. You have a good heart, Lin, and it's never led you astray. You can trust in Tenzin and Korra to bring them back, badgermole. Chen will make it out, Lin, I know it. She always did have such spectacular strength even in her first breath-I could even feel it from the swamp!" the legendary bender chuckled. After a moment she gently tucked Lin's hair behind her ear. "I have always been watching, my love, even when you didn't think I was."

"Yes, though I wish you had been there in person," Lin murmured. Her mother's mouth hardened to a line in response. "I am curious though, how exactly have you been watching us? Chen tried explaining after she left the swamp, but I'm not quite sure I understand."

Toph softly chuckled. "The spirit vines run all over the world. Tap into one, and you can see almost any location. I don't mean seismic sense seeing-I mean _seeing_ seeing, with colors, shapes, and faces. Yet none of that prepared me for the Spirit World-it's so _vibrant_ , I don't know how else to describe it-"

The current chief of police sat up straight. "You've been to the Spirit World?"

"I have," her mother confirmed. "Zuko owed me a life-changing field trip and decided to take me once he figured how to do it. We haven't gone together for some time though-he's so busy with his duties. I go occasionally to share a cup of tea with Uncle Iroh-even now, he makes the best jasmine tea I've ever had."

Lin blinked, the magnitude of the information shared washing over her in waves. Her mother had the ability to _see_ using the vines. Her mother still visited Uncle Iroh, even though the man died when she was nine.

Her mother had gone to the Spirit World. And she thought her mother hated all things spiritual.

"You have to take me into the Spirit World," Lin ordered her mother, eyes wide. "I don't care that I know nothing about that realm, I really don't, but I can't sit by and do nothing while Tenzin and Korra go in! I have to go in, you have to help me!"

Toph sighed and looked in her daughter's general direction for a moment. Going to the Spirit World was no small feat; it had taken her years of meditation under the banyan tree before she had been able to complete her journey to the Spirit World with Zuko. Even Tenzin, who had studied spiritual matters extensively since he was a boy, struggled with entering the realm. Lin had never even touched a book on the matter; would she be able to cross over?

Chen's shallow breaths interrupted her grandmother's thoughts. Toph silently cursed herself for not telling Chen how much she cared about her. She had marvelled over her granddaughter's strength since she sensed Chen's first cries in the swamp, and had watched her mature into the strong yet kind individual she was becoming. Toph could not be prouder of her youngest grandchild-if only she had told her in person…

"C'mon kid, let's get some shut-eye," she said to Lin, her voice raspy. "The best time to enter the spirit world is in the dead of night, so we should rest before the session tonight."

Lin's face morphed from confusion to relief, and she hugged her mother in response. Toph grabbed some sleeping pallets and laid them out by the healing pool, making sure her daughter got the more comfortable one.

The current police chief didn't remember much after her head hit the pillow, save for the light kiss Toph placed on her cheek.

* * *

The estate was eerily still when Korra woke her up.

It made sense, of course; they had all been involved in a sizeable battle, and everyone was physically and emotionally exhausted from the ordeal. Still, it was disconcerting to be awake in the dead of night, the only light coming from the candles Fire Lord Izumi was lighting. Tenzin and Toph were sitting cross-legged waiting for Lin and the Avatar, and Kya was still moving Chen and Kuvira's chi. Junior sat by Kuvira's head, anxiously wringing his hands while Su calmly stared him down.

"So it's time," Lin said groggily as she sat next to her mother and copied her posture.

"Indeed," Korra confirmed. "Now, in order to meditate into the Spirit World you must be still. Breathe deeply and keep a calm but empty mind."

 _My only child is stuck in the Spirit World-that's a little easier said than done,_ Lin thought. Still, she followed Korra's advice. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind as best as she could, and waited. She felt nothing at first, only a slight breeze from an open window. The breeze became more insistent, almost like steady wind, but it stopped almost as quickly as it had begun. Lin opened her eyes and found herself and the rest of her group in a field of violet-colored poppies, the sky a bright azure. Tenzin blinked, shocked. "We're here."

"Here? Where is here, exactly?"

"The Spirit World, kid," Toph replied. "Come on, let's go find the kids and get out of here. As beautiful as this place is, I like the physical world much better."

"How do we find them, exactly?" Lin asked. "Do we just call their names into the void? Should we ask a talking mushroom? Is there even a map to this place?"

"I'm the closest thing to it," Korra said. Closing her eyes for a moment, she turned on her heel and strode down the nearest path. "This way. It won't be long before we find them." As Korra walked, their environment transformed from bright, open fields to overgrown forest. Before long the group found themselves in front of a large, upside-down building held up only by vines.

"Huh, so that's where this place ended up," Toph commented. "Last time I was there, I was holding up a minaret before it melted into the sands of the Si Wong desert."

"Si Wong desert? Minaret?" Lin questioned. "Is this the-"

"Spirit Library of Wan Shi Tong," Tenzin breathed, sitting himself down on a nearby gnarled tree root. "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad."

"Tenzin? You doing okay?" Korra asked, kneeling down next to her mentor. Tenzin shook his head and started massaging his temples.

"He's doesn't want to meet the giant serpentine-owl spirit that guards the library, the scaredy owl-cat," Toph said, crossing her arms in contempt.

"I'm not scared!"

"Oh come on, Tenzin-we all know that's a lie." Lin grumbled, her gut instinct telling her her daughter was inside. Tenzin was many things, but fearless was not one of them. He had been a nervous creature as long as she had known him, and that had only intensified as an adult. Knowing Tenzin, it was probably preventing him from meditating into the Spirit World. He could never open that last chakra. He could never let go...

"How do you even know she's in there?"

"I can feel her spirit, and it's in there," Lin stated, pointing towards the building. "If you doubt me, then verify with Korra why she brought us here in the first place."

Tenzin sighed, then turned to the Avatar. "Korra, are you sure you brought us to the right place?"

Lin stomped in ground in frustration. "Are you KIDDING me, Tenzin? Are you actually questioning the Avatar, our world's spiritual authority, on whether or not she took us to the right location in the _Spirit World_?"

"No, no!" Tenzin sputtered. "It's just that the Spirit World is a massive place-you could be sensing something else-"

"Something else? _Something else?_ You think I wouldn't recognize my only child's spirit? I carried her for nine months and raised her alone for 13 years, I think I'd recognize Chen!"

"Oh hush up, you two!" Toph exclaimed, pulling Lin away from Tenzin. "This isn't preschool anymore. As much as you two love rehashing the 'I-know-more-than-you' argument, we have bigger fish to fry! Unless, of course, you've forgotten why I've taken your useless butts into the Spirit World?"

Lin huffed and pulled Tenzin to his feet. "Fine. Let's get going, the less time we spend here the better."

"Good," her mother replied, a mischievous smirk on her face. "You're going to want to stick close to Korra, unless you want a bumpy ride."

"A bumpy ride? Why would I want a-" Lin felt the earth rapidly shift under her feet, sharp gravel giving way to smooth stone tiles. She looked up to find herself in an airy atrium, stained glass windows a magnificent canopy above their heads. Small foxes deftly navigated the densely situated bookshelves, their focus solely on their patrons. She turned to Korra, whose face shone with wonder and delight. "Kid, how did you do this?"

"I think the better question is _why_ would you do this?"

The group turned around to find a large black-and-white barn owl staring down at them, his talons uncomfortably close to their faces. "Are you humans completely incapable of effective communication? Mortals are no longer allowed in my study."

"We are fully aware of that, great spirit," Tenzin said, deeply bowing. "We would hope, however, that you would be willing to make an exception."

"An exception?" Wan Shi Tong replied, his face now mere inches from Tenzin's. "Who are you to ask such a bold question?"

"Tenzin, maybe you should let me take it from here," Korra said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She turned to the large barn owl, who eyed her with curiosity entwined with hunger. "Great Spirit, I am Avatar Korra, and these people are my friends and mentors. If you let us stay here to find what we need, we promise not to disturb you."

"Oh yes, I remember you-you came with that little airbender girl, the granddaughter of Avatar Aang. What brings you back so soon?"

"It's not a what but a who, great spirit. Please, we need your help."

"And why should I help you, exactly? You might be the Avatar, but you're still human. How do I know that you're not faking this just to get information for your own selfish purposes?"

"I swear to you that we have no intention of misusing your invaluable collection to gain an edge on other humans," Lin pleaded, pushing Korra aside to face the spirit. "We are only here seeking a daughter and a friend. Their spirits are trapped and we've come to bring them home."

"Two human spirits? I might be able to tell you where they are-provided you each give me information in return."

Lin balked as Toph held her hand up for silence. "Fine, spirit. I'll even go first. There is a liquid metal that can be bent like water, its very nature existing between the two elements-"

"It's mercury. Tell me about something that I don't already know," Wan Shi Tong replied, irritated.

Toph crossed her arms in contempt. "Fine. Mercury can be used to poison someone through the application of metalbending. Place it on the skin of a victim, and you can pull it into their bodies. The only way to get it out is for the person affected to bend it out of their own system."

The owl thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, that will do. What about you, Avatar?"

"Would you happen to know that waterbending can be used to balance the yin and yang of malevolent spirits?"

Wan Shi Tong sighed. "You forget that I helped your uncle discover that, Avatar. Try again."

Korra sighed. "Fine. My position as the Avatar gives me the unique energy to bend spiritual energy, even when it has been disconnected from its original source. Because of this ability I was able to save hundreds of lives from an errant spirit cannon by bending the energy away from everyone and towards a metal communication tower."

"Hmm, that is useful knowledge, Avatar. And you, bald one?"

Tenzin thought for a moment, then found a piece of rope in his pocket. He made twists and ties, as if he were securing Oogi's reins to a tree and presented it proudly to the owl. "This is an ancient Air Nomad knot used only by the monks of the Southern Air Temple for securing prayer flags onto bonsai trees. Nowadays, its use has been revived on Air Temple Island for similar reasons."

"You're definitely Meathead's nephew," Toph muttered, smacking her head as the Owl disdainfully accepted the contribution.

"And you, metal woman? What do you have to offer he who knows ten thousand things?"

Lin crossed her arms and stonily stared down the spirit. "Did you know that you can fool seismic sensors into thinking that you're invisible?"

"I did, actually. Try again."

Lin's forehead creased in confusion. "That's impossible, I literally invented that technique! Who else could know?"

"Someone else might have figured it out on their own. Try again."

"Fine," she spat out. "There is a new type of earthbending that incorporates airbending moves into its forms. It allows practitioners to be light on their feet and particularly adept at dodging attacks."

"Very good," Wan Shi Tong said, pleased with himself. "I will take you all to see the other humans. And for the record, metal woman, it was your daughter who told me how to fool seismic sense. This way, if you will."

The group quickly followed the owl spirit, with Lin griping under her breath the entire time. She would have continued to do so had Tenzin not motioned for her to stop.

"They're just down this aisle," the spirit said, gesturing with his wing. "Now please, take them. Their voices grind on my nerves." With that Wan Shi Tong flew off, disappearing amongst his sizeable collections. As soon as he was out of earshot Lin sprinted down the narrow hallway, the sound of turning pages growing louder as they kept going. Finally, she saw the most beautiful sight.

Chen was sitting amidst a mountain of books, her wavy hair cascading down her shoulders. She sighed and put another book on top of a pile when she caught sight of the group. "MAMA!" she yelled, clambering over her reading material and throwing herself so forcefully into her mother's arms that the two fell to the ground. Lin broke into sobs and clutched her only child close to her chest. "Mommy, you found me," she murmured, nestling close to her mother.

"Of course I did, badgermole," Lin said, tears choking her words. "I'll always find you, in this world or any other." Chen simply sighed in contentment, her body fully relaxing in her mother's arms. The chief caught a flicker of moment and looked up to find Kuvira, the girl nervously eying the group.

"Tenzin, can you take Chen and meet my mother and Korra in the main hallway? I'll be just a moment."

The airbender gently gathered his daughter into his arms, the teen already sound asleep. Tenzin softly kissed his daughter's cheek, relieved that his eldest would soon be safe among them in the physical world. Once his footsteps faded, Lin faced the Great Uniter.

"Thank you."

"For what, Chief Beifong?" Kuvira asked, clasping her hands.

"You saved my daughter's life-I can never thank you enough. If it weren't for you, she wouldn't be able to return to us."

"It was no big deal," the young woman mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"No big deal?" Lin said, raising an eyebrow. "You saved Chen at great cost to your own life. That's not something I take lightly."

Kuvira rested her head on her knees. Lin slid into a seating position across from her in response, much to the young woman's confusion. "Why are you being nice to me, Chief? I took your family hostage, captured their state and destroyed part of your ancestral one! Spirits, I almost killed your daughter! What are you still doing here, you should take Chen back to her body-leave me behind, it's for the best!"

"You care about my daughter," the chief stated, answering her own question. "You care about her enough to sacrifice yourself? To sacrifice your cause?"

"Do you know what I saw when the cannon went off? I saw Chen running towards it as if nothing else mattered, and you desperately trying to catch up. Have you ever heard the way she talks about you, Chief? Or seen the way her entire face lights up when you walk in the room? You are the sun and stars to your daughter, and I know she is the same to you. I couldn't let her die, not when she had you. I don't have anyone who would do that for me-and that made my decision all the easier."

"You do realize your fiancé is keeping watch over your body in the physical world, right? He hasn't left your side since the cannon went off."

The young woman softly smiled as her fingers brushed over her engagement ring. "Bataar is the best thing that's ever happened to me. He's been my lifeline ever since we were children-he made growing up under Suyin's care so much more bearable."

"Yes, because growing up coddled in Zaofu is such a terrible fate."

"You have no idea what it was like to grow up under Suyin!" Kuvira spat. "She gave me a place to sleep, sure. She also taught me everything I know about earthbending, metalbending, fighting, dancing, lying-I was her pet project, really. Something for her to feed, praise occasionally, and parade for friends when necessary. I was trained to man my post and go about my day like a guard animal-Su certainly wasn't fawning over me like she did her children. The longer I stayed the less I felt human-I had to leave. Now here we are."

"Looks like you've taken on a few projects yourself these past three years," Lin replied. Standing up, she offered her hand to the young woman. "Come. It's time we return."

Kuvira hesitatingly accepted Lin's hand and joined her in walking towards the others. "Ah good, we're all back," Korra said, surveying the last two members to join the group. "Hang on tight-we'll be back before you know it."

Lin blinked and found herself sitting in the healing room. She found herself squinting, and realized that during their time in the Spirit World the sun had risen; by her estimation, it was around noon that they had returned. She could have sworn that their time in the library had taken a couple hours at most; perhaps time worked differently in the Spirit World.

"Mommy?"

Her breath catching in her chest at the sound of the tiny voice, the chief turned around to find her daughter awake, the color slowly returning to her cheeks. She scrambled to the edge of the pool and pulled her daughter out and into her arms, pressing a flurry of kisses to the girl's soaking wet hair. Tenzin slid over and embraced the two, openly weeping with joy that his daughter had returned to the physical world.

Bataar watched the happy reunions bittersweetly when he heard a sharp breath.

"Bataar?" Kuvira asked weakly. Her fiancé's face lit up at the sound of her voice and he kissed her sweetly. She reached up to caress his cheek but hissed at the pain searing through her ribs and back. "What happened?"

"Your wedge shield failed," Suyin stated with obvious distaste. Bataar glared at his mother. Really? She had saved their youngest family member and nearly died in the process, and that's the one thing she had to say?

"But you still saved my daughter," Lin interjected gratefully, attempting to defuse the situation.

"I'm just glad that she's okay. She has so much left to live for… unlike me," Kuvira responded, weakly gesturing to the half-asleep teen in Lin's arms.

"Kuvi-don't say that!" Baatar said, aghast.

"It's not a lie, sweetheart," she responded, looking exhausted despite having just returned from the Spirit World. She tried to sit up to see Chen more closely, only to grimace in pain and fall back in agony. Kya began bending water onto the girl's pressure points and noted the healing water's brightness in relation to the pressure point. Frowning, she turned the girl over and tested her back, only to find the water shining uncomfortably bright.

"Kya, what does that mean?" her fiance asked worriedly.

"It means your fiancée is in a world of pain right now," the waterbender murmured. "See the water? The brighter it glows, the more serious the injury is. Her back might look fine on the outside, but it's not completely healed on the inside. There's a set of beds on the second floor, help me move her into one of them-be careful with her back!"

Bataar gently scooped Kuvira up and carried her to the first bed he saw on the second landing. Kya immediately bent water out from her skins and went to work.

She could only hope that she had intervened in time. If not, the worst was only beginning for Kuvira.


	19. Chapter 19

The next chapter's finally here! Exciting moment, no? As always, thank you to my collaborator and beta reader JHLZNTL for everything! Seriously, this fic would not be the same without them!

As always, hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

Kya was surprised the young woman made it through the night. Clearly she had a tenacious spirit, considering everything she had endured.

As soon as Junior had transferred Kuvira out of the life support pool, her temperature had spiked into a high-grade fever, and her chi was becoming less and less responsive to her treatments. Even the addition of Korra to the healing team hadn't improved things. By the middle of the night, she had delicately suggested that Bataar start looking for any place she might have written her final wishes.

 _No, PLEASE no,_ he had sobbed. _You HAVE to keep trying!_

 _I will_ , she said, adding more water to her supplies.

 _I can't promise you anything,_ Korra said, _but I'll try._

She wasn't sure what they had done differently, but it worked. The young woman's fever broke at dawn, and while she hadn't regained consciousness Kya imagined it wouldn't be long before Kuvira woke up and officially re-joined the physical world. Even now she was mumbling words, as if she was trying to speak to Bataar.

"What is it, my love?" he asked the young woman, tightly holding on to her hand.

"No home," she murmured. "No home."

* * *

She had no home. Where would she go?

Her family was by no means the wealthiest in the village, but they weren't the poorest either. Still, money was always tight, and it was always down to the last minute whether or not her parents would make rent for the month. "Those damn benders," they had yelled belligerently after finishing their bottles of rice liquor. "Always taking all the good jobs!"

"Those damn benders" were the reason for anything falling through. No jobs at the mines? Those damn benders had taken all the jobs. No openings on a construction crew? Why would you need nonbenders when there were perfectly capable earthbenders willing to do the job? Ever since she could remember, she had been trained to hate those with the innate connections to the elements, yet she had secretly always been fascinated with those who could manipulate the world around them with a single flick of their wrist. So when she discovered that she had the ability to _feel_ the earth, she was thrilled. Her parents responded by throwing her out on the street with only the clothes on her back. Not being able to stay in her village, she walked to Ba Sing Se. If she could make there, then everything would be okay.

She had just arrived in the great walled city when she saw a group of dancers practicing outside, their graceful forms manipulating metal and earth as if they were extensions of their own bodies. She sat, entranced by the beauty of the performance before her. When it was over Kuvira clapped enthusiastically, drawing the attention of the lead soloist. Smiling, the short-haired woman walked over and crouched down to say hello.

"Did you like the performance?" she asked softly, her voice immediately putting Kuvira at ease. The young girl brightened and nodded eagerly. "I'm glad! You and your family should come by later, there will be more dancing. I'm sure they'd love it!"

Kuvira's face immediately darkened, and she looked away. Concerned, the woman gently took the girl's hands. "Is everything okay?"

The girl sighed, and she looked at the woman before her. "I don't have a family. They kicked me out because I can bend like you can. I'd still like to come see your show, if you'll have me."

The woman's eyes widened, but she recovered quickly and smiled. "I'd love it if you did. But why don't you stay with me the rest of the day? We're done with practice, and I'd love for you to meet my family-my oldest son's about your age. What do you say?"

Kuvira thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, I'd like that very much-"

"Suyin," the woman finished, smiling kindly at the young girl. "But you can call me Su."

"Su," Kuvira nodded. Su gently stroked the young girl's cheek and stood up, leading the girl to her family. Her hand was cold, so cold. Kuvira looked down and realized that she wasn't holding Su's hand anymore but an antique mirror made of silver, the back etched with an intricate design featuring a flying boar. Her head snapped up to find herself in Su's large bedroom in Zaofu, the woman calmly finishing getting ready for a fancy event while her toddlers babbled on the ground amongst their toys. Huan and Junior were calmly reading on one of her windowseats while Opal sat on her mother's lap, excitedly reaching for the makeup on her mother's vanity.

"Now Kuvira, we'll only be gone for a couple of hours, but if you need anything don't hesitate to ask the guards, okay?" Suyin asked while applying her blush. After not hearing a response, she looked over to find the girl still entranced by the mirror and smiled. "It's lovely, isn't it? It's an antique from my grandmother, though Spirits knows it's probably been in the family for much longer."

Kuvira looked up and nodded. She had never seen anything so beautiful before. And the flying boar, it looked so familiar to her. If only she could place where…

"Sweetheart, we need to get going-the party can't start without its hosts," Senior said, walking into the bedroom and giving his wife a chaste kiss.

"Ah, of course!" Su replied, smiling as she gathered a giggling Opal into her arms and Senior grabbed the twins. Junior silently put down his book, took Huan's hand, and walked towards their family members. Suyin ushered everyone out the door, then turned to Kuvira. "I mean it, Kuvira. You need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

"Yes, ma'am," Kuvira said, giving a single nod. Su flashed a warm smile at the girl and then left, closing the door behind her. As soon as everyone's footsteps faded, Kuvira delicately set the antique mirror on Su's vanity and snuck out of the bedroom, careful not to draw attention to herself. From afar she followed the family as they walked out of the residence, through the gardens, and to the train. Stepping on an unexpectedly crunchy stick, she shimmied up a tree and hid as everyone boarded, none the wiser that the young earthbending girl was watching. Kuvira hugged her knees to her chest and sighed.

She didn't mind that she wasn't going, she really didn't. She was still too new to Zaofu, still overwhelmed by everything that the advanced city-state had to offer. She was perfectly fine staying at the estate.

At the same time she couldn't help but wonder-what was a party like? Would she ever get to find out?

* * *

It had been a week since Korra had brought her back from spirit world, and her condition had not gotten much better. It scared Bataar to see Kuvira, the strongest woman he had even known, confined to her bed as she slipped in and out of consciousness. He knew she would get better, was sure of it, but it didn't pain him any less to see her in that condition. The engineer held her hand, closely watching her peaceful face. The creak of a staircase alerted him to a visitor, and he quickly turned around to find his mother at the foot of Kuvira's bed.

"So you're still here," Suyin stated, her voice betraying the slightest hint of annoyance.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," he responded, mirroring her tone.

"You could be, I don't know, spending time with your family? Remember them? You know, the people who raised you, who you grew up with?"

"I am spending time with our family, Mom," Junior responded, starting to lose his patience with his mother.

"She is not your family!" Su snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. "Your family is me, your father, your brothers and sister! We're the ones who have supported you your entire life, and this is how you treat us?"

The engineer chuckled and shook his head. "Supported me all my life? You only supported me as long as my wishes were in line with yours! Remember when I wanted to study at Ba Sing Se University? I didn't hear the end of it for over a month!"

"Well, why would you want to study engineering in Ba Sing Se when you KNOW the best technology institute is in-"

"See? There you go again-it's like I can't have ideas of my own! It was the same thing with working in Zaofu too. I could work on whatever I wanted as long as they were Dad's projects, right?" Bataar sighed and looked lovingly at Kuvira, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "With Kuvira it's always been different. She listened to my ideas- _all_ of them-and encouraged me to make them a reality. She's been my rock-and spirits willing, she'll always be."

"So you're willing to throw everything away for this girl?"

"She's not just any girl, you know that," Bataar replied crossly. "Kuvira has been in our lives since she was eight years old-you were the one who took her in, if I recall correctly. Was it not you who brought her to our home as the newest member of our family? What changed in all that time, Mother?"

Suyin opened her mouth to answer when she was startled by vibrations close by her. "Sorry I'm late," Korra apologized, putting down her bag on a nearby end table and prepping her water skins. "I was in the study looking up potential treatments for Kuvira."

"Were there any leads?" Bataar asked hopefully.

"Yes, suprisingly. I ran into Fire Lord Izumi and gave her an update on Kuvira's condition, and she actually knew what it was. It's a spiritual sickness-apparently her father had something similar after he first helped Aang in Ba Sing Se."

"That's good, right? You know how to help her now?"

"Not quite. You have to let spiritual illnesses run their course. In Zuko's case it was only a few days, but an otherwise healthy 16-year-old boy is going to have a vastly different timeline than a young woman who had a variety of injuries and severe burns in addition to temporarily getting her spirit stuck in the Spirit World. I'm not sure how long it will take for her to heal, but my guess is at least another week." She hesitated, then reached into her bag and offered him a large leather-bound book. "Here, I found this. It might make for better reading material than last time."

Bataar examined the book, which was an adventure tale novelizing some pirate crew's antics, and nodded his thanks. Korra had been coming every day to help heal Kuvira, something that had initially shocked the engineer. He had been wary, but she quickly put him at ease. _Relax, I just want to help. It's the least I can do, considering._ They easily established a rapport, conversing about anything from old schematics he was reviewing to times spent in Zaofu to their experiences with Toph Beifong. They even discussed the Earth Empire; unlike conversations with his mother, Korra genuinely listened, even if she didn't understand some of the initiatives they had undertaken. Discussing the Empire with the Avatar was enlightening, to say the least, and he was glad for their conversations for they made him reevaluate the past. When they tired of discussing policy and future plans, Bataar would read aloud from any of the books in the estate's sizable library; the last selection had been a poetry book so terrible the two would burst into laughter after every stanza. It was a soothing routine, which Suyin would be completely aware of had she cared enough to know.

"Last time?" Suyin asked. "How often have you been helping out, Korra?"

"As often as I can, especially since your family healer is still in Republic City due to the evacuation order." Korra said. "Kya tends to take the nights since she's pretty much nocturnal, and I take the day shift."

"But don't you have business with the other world leaders? Or with helping Chen recover?"

"An Avatar's duty is to all of their people-even those who are the most out of balance," Korra said, gazing at the unconscious metalbender. Suyin's mouth hardened to a line but stayed silent; after hearing Lin's tales of Korra's stubbornness, she knew better than to argue with her. Korra sighed and turned back to Suyin. "Besides, Chen's pretty much the epitome of health compared to Kuvira. I imagine it won't be long before she regains all her strength, especially considering how Mama Lin never lets Chen out of her sight."

"Mama Lin?" both Beifongs asked, their eyebrows raised.

"Old nickname from when she was my guardian during the Red Lotus incident," Korra clarified. "She hasn't bent me to Ba Sing Se yet, so I'm assuming she doesn't mind."

Su chuckled and shook her head before turning to the newest person joining them. "My love, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you-the twins said you headed this way," her husband said. "I was about to take a walk through the gardens, and was wondering if you wanted to accompany me."

"I'd love to," she responded, eagerly taking his pro-offered arm. With that she said goodbye to the two young adults and headed towards the gardens she had taken many a walk in during her youth.

"You know, I can't remember the last time we were here," Senior remarked, looking at the foliage.

"It was for a landscape architecture convention," Suyin recalled. "Junior had just turned eight, and I was still pregnant with the twins. We thought we could handle a family vacation at the same time-needless to say, it was chaos."

"Ah of course, how could I forget? That was chaotic indeed." He grew serious. "Spirits, so much has changed since then. The twins are 17, Opal's an airbender with her own sky bison, and Junior-"

"Became the second-in-command to a dictator intent on bringing an entire nation under her iron fist. That's not even mentioning the fact that he built a spirit cannon capable of flattening entire cities," Su finished. "Where did we go wrong? How could he have gotten sucked into Kuvira's games?"

"Dear, you forget that Junior is a grown man-as painful as it was, he left of his own accord. And as her boyfriend-now-fiancé, he knew what he was getting into."

"Did he though? Did he realize that she would do all of this?" Suyin asked, emphatically gesturing to the damage only steps beyond the walls of the estate.

"I'm sure he did. And even if he didn't, he's a stubborn young man who thought he was invincible-reminds me a lot of someone at that age. Not only that, love makes you do crazy things. I built an entire city out of metal in less than a year just to please the woman I love."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "That's completely different and you know it."

"Yes, our city doesn't involve prison camp systems but it did involve a force not unlike the prying Dai Li. Unless you've forgotten about Aiwei?"

Suyin frowned. Aiwei had been a trusted adviser of hers, a truth seer who helped keep order in the city. She had trusted him with her life; when Lin showed up on her doorstep to arrest the man for being part of the Red Lotus conspiracy she was shocked and infuriated that someone could deceive her for so long. She had gotten rid of her truth seers in response, but the betrayal still hurt.

Bataar sighed and stopped upon seeing her reaction. "I know they're different situations, but there are more similarities than you think. Both times people did something that everyone thought impossible to do. Technology was innovated, and the leaders were considered at the forefront of their respective areas. Their second-in-command were their romantic partners, and both sets of parents disapproved of the relationship."

"What? You know Mom loves you!"

"That's questionable at best, Dear, but I appreciate the sentiment."

Su laughed but grew reflective. "Junior really loves her, doesn't he?"

"Has since they were children, though it took him until adulthood to act on it. Nowadays, he's hardly left her bedside. When it's time to sleep, he takes the bed next to hers, though I've caught him asleep sitting up multiple times. He's not going to leave her. If he stayed with her when she left Zaofu, he'll stay with her now."

"She's not good for him. She'll break his heart and he'll never see it coming."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were speaking from experience." Looking around to see if anyone was nearby, he leaned into his wife's ear. "I know Junior wasn't the only one you were crying for when they left."

The Zaofu matriarch sighed. "She was my protege, love. That's not something you get over easily." In fact, it wasn't something she was sure she could get over at all. She had trusted Kuvira, raised her like a daughter, only for the girl to go behind her back and take the majority of her guard. Senior brought her into a side hug and walked back to the main house, not a word said between the two the entire walk back.

What had happened to that little eight-year-old with the toothy grin? How did she turn into this? All she had wanted to was give the little girl another chance...

* * *

It was the type of wail that broke her heart.

She was back in Zaofu, walking around the art gallery of the Beifong residential lotus when she first heard that preternatural sound. Breaking into a cold sweat, she sprinted down the hallways, hoping that she would find the source soon. Hallway after hallway she found nothing, not a single person save for a solitary guard. Just when she gave up hope, she opened up a bedroom door to find a small figure cowering in the corner, her sobs barely audible.

"Hey there, it's okay," Kuvira said, reaching out towards the little girl. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl sniffed and turned around. Her eyes widened upon realizing she was looking at herself. Kuvira took a moment to look around. She was in her childhood bedroom at the Beifong Lotus in Zaofu, she was certain of it; no other room on the planet had that bedspread or those pictures pinned onto the walls. In examining her surroundings, however, her younger self pushed past her and ran away.

"Hey!" Kuvira cried, running after the girl. With a start she realized that she was wearing Suyin's metal gauntlets; hesitant, she reached up to her forehead and found a delicate jeweled diadem holding back her braid. Rounding the corner, she found her younger self hiding underneath an end table, shaking from fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" Kuvira said, crouching down to the girl's level. "I would never let anyone hurt you!"

"That's a lie," the little girl said, staring directly at her. "That's a lie and you know it."

The metalbender was taken aback. "What do you mean that's a lie? Why would I want to hurt you?"

"Doesn't matter why," the girl said, shrugging. "You already have."

"How? How have I hurt you?" Kuvira asked, taking the little girl's hands into hers. "What can I do to make it better?"

"You claim to love me but you don't-you love yourself. You try to help, and everyone you send makes everything worse than it was before. Stop helping me, let me be!"

"Wha-no, please! Let me help you!" Kuvira said. The little girl pushed her away and ran down another hallway, her footsteps getting fainter with every second. The metalbender curled up and started crying.

"Please let me help you. _Please…_ "

* * *

Setting her hands over the strings, Chen sighed with deep satisfaction. It had been far, far too long since she had played. Within seconds, her instrument was singing. _Thank the Spirits for this music room,_ the young girl thought, her fingers expertly moving through scales.

The past two weeks had been interesting, to put it mildly. Bumi and Izumi were treating the truce as a mini-vacation and were acting accordingly, much to Tenzin's chagrin; she had never seen anyone so hesitant to open a closed door in her life. Her grandmother, the notorious recluse, had decided to stay for the time being and teach all earthbenders present the "finer points of their art," whatever that meant. Lin, not taking her daughter's presence for granted, spent nearly every waking moment with her, doing anything from playing her qinqin while Chen read to even having Chen sleep in her bed, something that hadn't happened since the teen was a little girl. Not that she minded, of course; though she put on a brave face for everyone, Chen was still shaken by her time in the Spirit World. She had escaped to the music room not just to practice but to meditate on her experiences-perhaps then she could finally come to peace with them.

"Wow I haven't heard that instrument in a while," Korra said, appearing in the doorway. Smiling, she faced Lin, who sat nearby tuning another musical instrument. "I hate to interrupt you Mama Lin, but Suyin wants to speak with you—something about sparring?"

Lin looked up from what she was doing and groaned. "Ugh, it's probably from our metalbending lesson with our mother earlier. I'll take care of this."

Chuckling as the chief of police stalked out of the room, Korra sat near the earthbender. "So how are you, badgermole?"

"Could be better," The teen shrugged, her fingers now transitioning to a piece she had memorized for a competition. "How are you? I haven't seen really seen you since your mother came in to join the healing team. Is the situation that bad?"

Korra's smile faded and her countenance sobered. "It's been two weeks since I brought you both back and Kuvira's still unconscious. I know spiritual illnesses take time, but I'm concerned. If she doesn't wake up in another week, we're going to need Katara. And if she can't help—well, I don't want to think about that."

Chen nodded, deep in thought as she moved through her piece. Gran Gran was the last line of defense, only to be called in if a situation was so dire no one else could help. She had never had the misfortune of being that ill, but Jinora had. The teen shuddered; she had almost needed her grandmother's help already, she didn't want to tempt fate and actually require it.

Korra drew closer to Chen and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything, right? The Spirit World is a beautiful, wonderful place-but it can also be deeply, deeply unsettling."

The teen stopped playing, sighed and pushed her guzheng away. "Why don't you get a hairbrush? You're going to need it."

The Avatar nodded and soon situated herself behind the teen, parting and gently brushing out the tangles in her hair. After a few moments of silence, Chen spoke. "What was it like, the first time you traveled into the Spirit World? Do you even remember it?"

"I remember everything, though sometimes I wish I didn't," Korra replied, delicately untangling the last bit of hair before beginning the first braid. "Jinora was the one who led me into the Spirit World, but I panicked and we got separated. If it wasn't for my stupidity, she probably wouldn't have gotten captured by Wan Shi Tong and my crazy uncle. If it hadn't been for my stupidity, this entire Earth Kingdom mess wouldn't have happened either."

"I would hardly call being poisoned by the Red Lotus with mercury stupid. That wasn't your fault."

"The only reason I was poisoned is because I gave myself up against your mother's wishes without even thinking of possible alternatives. If I hadn't, then-"

"Then chances are the Air Nomads would have been hunted down until you gave yourself up. You saw the lengths that the Red Lotus was going through, you think they would have destroyed a couple temples and called it one? If I recall correctly, they shot Asami's airship down because they thought she was with you at the time, and it's only by sheer luck that she wasn't hurt or worse! They would have destroyed everything they touched until they found you or you revealed yourself, whichever came first. For what it's worth, giving yourself up was the best thing you could have done given the circumstances. Was it a good idea? Absolutely not! But you saved my father's nation, and that's something that can never be forgotten."

"Maybe so, but we would have still been together, badgermole, and I wouldn't have missed out on three years of your life. I could have helped the Air Nomads escape and then fight another day, with more strength, more people. I could have saved the Earth Kingdom, prevented it from falling into disarray. Prevented the poison that put me out of commission for so long, and prevented Kuvira from losing her second family. And you from losing a sister… I know you guys were close, and if she doesn't wake, I am so, _so_ sorry."

Chen tucked her knees under her chin while Korra finished the first braid and started on the other. "It was so hard without you, Korra. Not just in a 'we-need-the-Avatar' way, but in the 'Mom-would-keep-setting-a-place-at-the-table-for-you' kind of way. I'd send concert invitations to the South Pole hoping that maybe one day you'd show up, and you never did. Birthday invites were completely ignored, you never once sent a letter or picked up the phone-look, I totally understand why, Korra, but it still hurt. You're like an older sister to me, and for you to just leave, just drop contact like I meant _nothing-_ and you weren't even the only one! Kuvira did the exact same thing! Though I don't know why her absence bothered me as much as yours, considering I really only knew her for two months before she defected from Zaofu and became the Earth Empress-you know what, just nevermind."

Korra finished the other braid and then spun Chen around to face her. "Chen Beifong, I know my incompetencies have led me to do some pretty idiotic things, but I _never_ meant to make you feel like you were nothing to me. You're not nothing to me, not even close-you're my little sister, Chen. I wasn't in a good place mentally-I thought that I was weighing people down, and that if I took myself out of the equation then you all would be better off. But now I see that I was wrong, so so wrong. But I promise you this, badgermole: I'm not leaving, and I won't leave unless I get killed, and even then I'm pretty sure I'll be annoyed enough to wreak havoc from the afterlife. So I hope you like me, because you're going to be seeing me A LOT more often."

Chen giggled and wiped tears away from her face. "I better, or else your ass is rubble!"

"Hey!" Korra yelled, attacking Chen with tickles. "Since when does little Chen Beifong use profanity?"

"Since speaking normally lost its effectiveness on the hot-headed water Avatar…" Chen wheezed, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath as she tried to dodge Korra's tickles. The girls' clear peals of laughter sounded through the hallway, the sound catching Lin's attention.

"So much for practicing your scales, Chen," Lin said, smirking at the scene before her as she materialized in the doorway.

Korra blushed as she quickly disentangled herself from the teen. "It's my fault, Mama Lin, I distracted-"

"I'm only giving you all a hard time," The chief said, waving her off. Smiling at the scene before her, Lin visibly relaxed. "It's been far too long since I've heard your laughter, kid."

"It's been far too long indeed," Korra said softly. Standing up, she walked towards her mentor. "Mama Lin, we didn't really get to talk back in Republic City, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry I was gone for so long. It was cruel of me, I should have kept in contact, and I wish more than anything I-"

The police chief cut the Avatar off by engulfing her in a hug. "I'm just glad you're okay," she whispered in her ear before releasing her. "It was difficult without you, and the Earth Kingdom may have slid into chaos in the meantime, but you're here now. Unless you plan on going anywhere anytime soon?"

"No no, Chief, I'm here for good."

"Good. I can't have you disappearing only to pass out at my front door, are we clear?" Lin answered, slightly teasing the Avatar. "There's too many messes to clean up without you around."

"So I can tell," Korra noted with a bit of humor. "Anyways, I have to get going. Mom and Kya probably need me back at the healing hut."

"I just ran into your mother actually-she said that she and Kya have everything under control, and to take the afternoon off." Lin said, returning to tuning her musical instrument. "Stay with us. I was about to accompany Chen on a new piece she's been practicing."

Korra smiled and settled onto the couch. With a knowing look, Chen and Lin began playing their music, the notes temporarily transporting the Avatar years back to when she first heard them play.

* * *

It had been a long time since she was in Ba Sing Se.

She had flown out to the ravaged capital as soon as she had mustered enough resources. Considering how antsy her men were becoming, it didn't take long at all. She went in, neutralized the situation, set up laws and enforcers, and left all in the span of two weeks. The citizens of the grand city were stunned; they had never seen any part of their government act efficiently, much less one governed by a 21 year old. It made returning to this throne room all the sweeter, and-

Well, she assumed it was the throne room based on the size and shape. The ornate carvings were replaced with metal sculptures depicting the Earth Empire insignia, and the rafters were draped with yards of emerald green silk. She sat on a high-backed metal chair ornately wrought from iron. Based on the ache in her back, she had been there for quite some time.

"It's late Kuvira, you should be getting to bed," the green-eyed badgermole said, kneeling on her right side. The voice was low, stern, and unwavering.

"NO KUVIRA! It is a trap!" the yellow-eyed badgermole replied on her left. Slightly smaller than their counterpart, its voice was shrill with a hint of self-righteousness.

"The yellow-eyed badgermole lies. She wishes for you to tire, for your reflexes to be compromised when she decides to usurp your throne."

"Compromised reflexes should be the least of your concerns, Great Uniter! When you are asleep is when you are most vulnerable."

"But when you are asleep, you will be protected by me, Kuvira. I will keep you safe until you are rejuvenated and can think clearly. Sleep-deprived, you will be rash and angry. The yellow-eyed badgermole will make you act the fool before your own people and turn them against you. You do not want that, Kuvira. That is not what you worked for... " Its level confidence sounded so familiar though its words were foreign.

"What did you work for? Your quest for Unity has failed. You have failed. You must stay awake to right these wrongs before it is too late."

"Your wrongs can wait for you to heal-"

"The green-eyed badgermole thinks you weak. She doesn't know you like I do. Trust me."

"Trusting her is what landed you in this situation in the first place. She abandoned you just like your parents did. She abandoned your country! Your goals were justified-only your methods were…unrefined. You cannot give into her manipulation, not again."

"What manipulation? I have always had your best interests at heart, Kuvira. Listen to me, only I know what is best!"

Kuvira leaned back, deep in thought. "Humor me," Kuvira commanded. "What wrongs have I committed?" The badgermoles looked at her silently; if they had eyebrows, they certainly would have been raised. So she might have gone a little...overboard with her methods. But a nation so painfully behind needed to be brought into the modern age! She tried to give a rebuttal, to show some conclusive proof that what she had done and how she had done it was the right way-but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that they were right. She had done some terrible things in the name of progress, things that were unforgivable. She sighed. "How shall I correct my actions?"

"First, denounce all claims to the throne on which you sit," the yellow-eyed one said, their eyes alight. "Then, express regret for starting this whole Earth Empire. Tell your army to stand down and give the crown to the Prince."

"No! Only a fool would truly believe him competent!" the green-eyed badgermole interjected, glaring at their counterpart. "The yellow-eyed badgermole seeks only to create a puppet out of him. You CAN still rule. You DO still have good in you. We have all seen it, even if it had been through foggy lenses-all you need is guidance. I can help you."

"Kuvira! How do you know she is not the one making a puppet out of you? Follow me, and all will be forgiven, all wrongs, forgotten and your name erased from history. You can find peace."

"There is no peace once you've done the wrong thing. Never give up, Kuvira! You can always change your trajectory, but never erase your mistakes!"

"KUVIRA LISTEN TO ME!" the yellow-eyed badgermole yelled, turning to face Kuvira.

"NO! LISTEN TO YOURSELF!" the green-eyed badgermole yelled.

The yellow eyed badgermole lunged at the Great Uniter as if to consume her, but the green-eyed one blocked it's path. However, its tail whipped her on accident, knocking her off the throne and sending her tumbling down the steps.

"KUVIRA!" they chorused in unison.

"KUVIRA!"

The metal bender's eyes snapped open. Chief Beifong was by her side, watching her intently. "What happened?" The young woman groaned as she slowly stretched. Why was she so sore?

"You tell me," the Chief replied, helping her sit up. "You must have had some dream while you were out. You hit your head on the wall, and when we tried to move you to somewhere with more padding, you dislocated Junior's jaw, Wei's knee, and fractured one of Wing's ribs. They're currently being patched up by the healers."

Kuvira nodded, slowly getting used to being awake. "How long have I been out?"

"Sixteen days. Today would have been the seventeenth." The metal bender's gaze roamed as she searched for the owner of the voice, only to find Chen and Suyin at the foot of her bed. The teen was a little thinner than she remembered, but her cheeks were a healthy rosy color. Spirits knew how she herself looked at the moment.

"You're okay," the woman said softly, a relieved smile on her face.

"I am thanks to you," Chen replied, her hands clutching the footboard. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore, though considering what happened that's to be expected. And a bit hungry too."

"I can imagine," Lin said. "Su, let the healers know that Kuvira's officially awake, and bring up a bowl of miso soup. Korra doubled the recipe, there should still be some in the pot on the stove."

Su nodded in acknowledgement of her sister's words, her eyes betraying her annoyance as she set off to do what Lin asked. Though she wanted Kuvira to be healthy for Junior's sake, a part of her had hoped that the Great Uniter would be unconscious for so long that the truce would break down and allow everyone to move on. Was it too much to ask for everything to return to the way things were?


	20. Chapter 20

As always, major credit to my collaborator JHLZNTL for everything she does! And also to AnnabethVolturi for the conversations! If you haven't read either of their works, I highly suggest that you do so-"The Fire Lord's Flames" by JHLZNTL delves deeply into the culture of the Fire Nation, and "Heart in Chains" shows just who-or what-was behind the Earth Empire. Both of them are page-turners, highly recommend!

Read and review, and I hope you all enjoy! :)

* * *

Su stalked towards one of the guest bedrooms, where Korra, Kya, and Senna were healing the injured. "Hold still," Korra gently cajoled Junior as she healed his jaw; the bruises mottling his skin were fading under her luminescent healing water. The engineer tightened his jaw but said nothing.

Suyin leaned in the doorway and crossed her arms. "Korra, I hate to be a bother, but do you know if there's still miso soup on the stove?"

"Unless Bumi and Izumi took the pot to Akari, there should still be plenty left over. Why, are you all still hungry?"

"No no, I'm plenty full from lunch earlier. It's Kuvira who's starving. Who knew being under for so long would rev up one's appetite?"

The healers' water fell to the ground in an unceremonial splash, their patients slack-jawed. "She woke up? Like conscious of what's around her woke up?" Korra gasped.

"Considering she had a conversation with my sister, I'm willing to venture yes. Anyways, the soup?"

Bataar launched himself off the table. Korra quickly followed behind him, the two hurriedly putting together a tray of light offerings before rushing off to the healing hut. Once there, the engineer nearly dropped the tray upon seeing the love of his life awake. She looked thinner, sure, and a little too pale, but she was alive, blessedly, blessedly alive. "Kuvira," he croaked.

The metalbender turned from her conversation with his aunt and cousin to face him, a tired smile slowly growing on her lips. "Hey sweetheart," she said, reaching out for a hug. Junior shoved the tray in Korra's arms and engulfed his fiancee, his tears wetting her hair.

"I was so worried about you," he murmured. "The more time that passed, the more I wondered—"

"If I was ever going to wake up?" She finished. "Sweetheart, you know me better than that. Not just anything can take me down. And if it does, I don't stay down for long." She frowned, her fingertips gently caressing his face. Bataar, if anything, was his father's son. He appreciated clean lines and attention to detail; as such, he always made sure that his face was shaved and his undercut maintained. Yet that was not the case now. His face was slightly haggard, a feature emphasized by the bags under his eyes and the stubble that was threatening to transform into a beard. His undercut had grown in as well, but it seemed that he had tried to even out the hair on top to make it less noticeable. "You haven't been taking care of yourself."

"I had other priorities to worry about," he said, his lips quirking into a smile.

Kuvira had half a mind to kiss him senseless right then and there when she caught a fragrant whiff of miso. " _Please_ tell me that's food."

"It is," Korra confirmed, bringing her a tray laden bowls of soup, freshly sliced vegetables, and seaweed salads. "I know you must be starving, but try not to eat too quickly—it might upset your stomach if you do."

Kuvira accepted the tray and confusedly bowed her head in thanks. "Thank you Avatar—but surely I'm not to eat all of this?"

"Nope, everyone has a bowl for themselves. I figured you wouldn't want to eat alone—unless you do, in which case—"

"No, that's fine, Avatar—thank you."

Korra smiled as she distributed the food to everyone. "Of course. But please, call me Korra."

The young woman nodded and began eating. She was more than content to sit and listen as the group brought her up to speed. She learned about the truce Bataar had struck with the other world leaders, and how everything was running smoothly. Kuvira half expected Korra, Lin, and Chen to scowl or huff but they seemed fine, thankfully. Just as she had formulated a question, Korra stood up and greeted an older water bender. "Kya, hi! We're just filling Kuvira in on what's happened while she's been unconscious!"

"Oh really?" Kya smirked. "Have you told her about Bumi and Izumi's escapades? I have to admit, my favorite time is when Tenzin walked in on them in the study, did he _really_ think—"

"Spirits Auntie Kya, there's only so much I want to know about my Uncle Bumi's private time," Chen said, covering her ears. The others looked confused, and Lin massaged her temples. Kya caught on quickly.

"Ah, so you were just telling her the political side of things—useful, but boring," Kya said. "Anyways, whenever you all are done splitting hairs over whatever political topic of the day you've chosen, I need to see Kuvira for a healing session."

Kuvira looked at the water bender confusedly. "I don't understand—I've woken up, that means I'm healed, right?"

"Yes, but you also went into this with a severely burned back, broken ribs, and a high-degree fever. I just want to make sure that everything is okay on that front-well, back as well."

"In that case, perhaps we should go. The sooner she gets patched up, the better," Lin said, gathering up the empty dishes, Chen dutifully following her to the kitchens.

"Should I go?" Korra and Junior asked simultaneously.

"That would be best," Kya said firmly.

Junior reluctantly pressed a kiss to his fiancee's cheek before sullenly descending the stairs. Kya waited for the door to shut before uncapping her water skin and pulling the liquid into her hands. "I'm going to need you to strip down to your bindings, please." After the earthbender did so, Kya helped her lay down. "This might be a little cold," the healer said, Kuvira wincing as the water made contact with her skin.

"I can tell," the young woman deadpanned. After a few moments of silence, she spoke up. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"Do what, exactly?" Kya asked, paying extra attention to Kuvira's ribs.

"Being nice to me for one thing, healing me for another. I can't imagine the Beifongs are happy about any of this."

"Eh, Su is Su, but between you and me I enjoy seeing her squirm a little," the healer said, winking at her patient. "But in all seriousness, a healer's duty is to his or her patient, not to some petty noblewoman." Kya paused for a moment. "It also doesn't hurt that you saved my niece."

"It's really not that big a deal," Kuvira mumbled, tensing as Kya's healing water now focused on her stomach. "And those in her family aren't the only ones who care about her." she added quietly.

Kya arched an eyebrow. "Ah yes, because throwing yourself in front of an errant spirit cannon is just all in a day's work."

"I couldn't let Chen die, not for my mistake. She's a good kid, and still has so much life left to live."

"Well, you succeeded. You have my, Tenzin, and Lin's eternal gratitude for that. The rest of the Zaofu Beifongs too, even if they refuse to acknowledge it." Kuvira said nothing as Kya bent her water back into her skins. "Alright, I'm all done with the healing portion. You can put your clothes back on now."

"Thank you," the earth bender said, already buttoning up her high-necked top. "How does everything look?"

"Everything looks good, thankfully. Your burns have completely healed, and it's stayed that way. Your ribs, three of which were broken, have also healed very nicely."

"Thank you," Kuvira said gratefully.

"Of course. But there are other things as well. For one thing, the flow of your chi has been irregular as a result of your spiritual sickness. It will take time to reestablish an equilibrium-so it would probably be best to not immediately jump back into bending. You'll need to ease into it, which means that we'll be seeing each other daily for physical therapy sessions. "

"How can a waterbender rehabilitate one's earthbending?"

"I won't be rehabilitating your earthbending. I'll be rehabilitating your more rudimentary motor functions. Such a long period of immobility has left your muscles withered."

Kuvira nodded. That explained why she could barely stand unassisted while she put her clothes on. Daily physical therapy sessions weren't what she intended on doing now that she was awake, but Kya seemed nice enough. "When do we start?"

"Now that's what I like to hear," Kya said, smiling. "But before we start, there's one other thing I'd like to address."

"Oh?"

"Before you went under, did you notice any changes in your eating or sleeping habits? Any newfound aversions to certain foods or cravings for others? Any trouble sleeping at night?"

"What do you mean, newfound aversion to food?"

"Did things that you used to enjoy begin to repel you? Like tea eggs, for example?"

"Bataar and I had food poisoning after eating thousand-year-eggs a month or so back, but other than that not that I can think of. As for trouble sleeping, not anything out of the usual."

"Alright, did you notice any tenderness in your chest?"

"I trained my officers in metalbending almost every single day. Soreness is just a way of life at this point." Kuvira paused, trying to analyze Kya's strangely neutral face. "Why are you asking all of these questions?"

Kya settled into a chair near Kuvira's bed. She _really_ had no idea, did she? "You're pregnant," she said quietly.

Kuvira stilled. Did Kya just say that she, Kuvira, was _pregnant?_ "I beg your pardon?"

"You're expecting. By my estimation, you're almost out of your first trimester."

"I'm expecting? As in I'm expecting a child?" the earthbender asked, the slightest hint of panic beginning to seep into her voice.

"No you're expecting an ostrich horse—of course you are expecting a child!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I knew the minute I walked up. I have a penchant for reading auras-have to thank the Air Nomad side for that ability-and yours is particularly... _shiny._ The physical exam just confirmed what I already thought."

Kuvira sat back on the bed, a million different thoughts racing through her head. She was pregnant. With a _child._ Something that was tiny, and helpless, and that needed love and guidance. With her past, with her present-

Oh spirits, there was no way that she was ready for this.

"Can you get rid of it?" she asked, avoiding eye contact.

Kya cocked her head to the side curiously. She had seen some women take news of their pregnancy badly, but she wasn't expecting Kuvira to be one of them. Sure, the timing wasn't ideal, but Bataar pretty much kissed the ground she walked on. Was there something else going on? "I don't mean to pry, but why?"

"Why? You can't think of any reason?"

Kya leaned back, silently cursing herself for being so unaware. Lin had told her about their conversation in the Spirit World during a late night healing session, their low voices the only sound during the dead of night. Her heart ached for the young woman in front of her, her pain at her predicament painfully evident.

"Is it Baatar? Do you think he won't want it? He does not seem the type to cut and run when things get tough, if his eternal presence by your bedside was any indication. He loves you, and _very_ deeply at that."

"Of course I know that," Kuvira responded frustratedly. "And he's not that type, he's always been my rock even when we were children. But if we have a child-what if we change? What if _I_ change? The same thing happened to my birth parents, apparently-who's to say that it won't happen to me?"

The healer sat on the bed and gently put a hand on Kuvira's shoulder. "I don't know the answer to that," she admitted. "But I do know what happened in my case. My mother-her mother was killed when she was a little girl, not much older than when you first arrived in Zaofu. She had grown up aching for her mother-she had her Gran-Gran, true, but it wasn't the same. So when Bumi, Tenzin, and I came along, she pledged that she would be the mother she had always wanted for herself."

"Was she?" Kuvira asked curiously.

"Oh yes," Kya replied, a soft smile on her face. "She's a great mom. Nowadays she's a great Gran-Gran to the kids too." A moment of silence passed between the two women. "Kuvira, you don't have to make a decision today-think it over for a bit. If you're still set on terminating the pregnancy, then come back and talk to me and we'll go from there. How does that sound?"

The young woman nodded. Time to think sounded good indeed.

"Good," the healer said. "Now let me help you up. It's time for our session-and if you don't feel at least a little sore, then I haven't done my job correctly."

Kuvira smiled wryly in response as Kya helped her down the stairs. Oh she _liked_ this waterbender-she had a feeling they would get along just fine.

* * *

Kya's initial training session was only half an hour, but somehow her legs felt weaker than they had been to begin with.

"I'm supposed to keep walking after that? How is that possible?" she muttered to herself as she washed up. After she they had finished, Kya had shown her to Bataar's room and ran her a nice, hot bath. _Take it easy. Your muscles will thank you for it later._ Wincing as she got out of the tub, she put on her bindings and went to put on the clothes Kya had set out for her when she passed by the full-length mirror and paused. Sure enough, there was the making of the tiniest of bumps. Surreptitiously looking around, she gently put her hand over it and imagined what it would be like to be pregnant and waddling around, Bataar being the ever-doting father.

Spirits, Bataar. This was his baby too.

"I was wondering if you were in here."

Kuvira wheeled around to find her fiance leaning on the doorframe, his face clean of stubble and his haircut evened out. "You shaved," she noted.

"Yeah, I figured the unkempt look isn't one of my stronger suits," he smirked before pulling Kuvira close and kissing her deeply. He pulled apart, breathless. "Hi."

"Hi yourself," she smirked. "What bring you here?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk in the gardens with me. It's sunny and there's a nice breeze, plus you haven't been outside in two weeks."

Kuvra frowned. "I'd love to, but I'm exhausted from my physical therapy session earlier." _And from thinking about my doctor's appointment, too._ "Maybe another time?"

"I figured, which is why I brought this," he said, pulling out a wheelchair.

She groaned. "A wheelchair? Great, as if I weren't already shamed and disgraced enough already!"

"What would you prefer I do?"

"Just hold my hand, perhaps?"

"I'd love that," he said, pressing a kiss to her hand as he helped her out to the garden.

Junior had heard about Gaoling from his mother's stories, had even seen pictures in his father's landscape architecture books, but to see it in person was something else. Leading them to a bench, he took out pen and paper began drawing the pygmy-dragonkoi pond, paying extra attention to the details of the lily pads and the framing of the pond by the bonsai trees.

"Of course you'd be sketching."

Junior looked up from his work to find his fiancée, a loose braid over her shoulder and a small smile on her lips. "It's actually my first time out here since our arrival. Kya had been urging me to take a walk and get fresh air, but I didn't want to leave your side." Putting away his drawing instruments, he stood them both up and kissed her, thankful now and forever more that she had been saved from the Spirit World. "My love, my life," he breathed, holding her close to his chest.

"WHY ARE YOU BARELY STOPPING NOW, KID? SHE JUST CAME BACK FROM HER OWN PERSONAL WAR!"

Startled, they looked around to find the former United Forces Commander Bumi lounging in the branches, languidly twirling a piece of sugar cane in his fingers. Izumi, perched in a rather precarious position on his lap, swatted his arm playfully. "Sweetheart, let them have their reunion in peace! It wasn't that long ago we were in the same position!"

"Oh I know. But shouldn't there be, I don't know, a little more _passion?"_

"Would you care for a tour of the grounds?" Bataar nervously asked Kuvira as the couple watched from the trees. "They really are meant to be shared with someone."

"That sounds good to me," she said, taking her fiancé's arm and trying to hurry away from the formidable world leader and her ostentatious significant other. Hand in hand, they started down one of the garden's main paths. Once they were sufficiently away from Bumi and Izumi, Kuvira turned to Bataar. "Sweetheart, I think we need to talk."

Bataar frowned. "What about?"

Kuvira looked around for another bench, which Bataar quickly led her to. "It's the Earth Empire, love. What exactly has been happening in the time while I've been unconscious?"

"Same thing I told you over lunch, really. After you and Chen were taken down I declared an immediate truce on behalf of the Empire with Izumi and my mother, which was then seconded by Master Tenzin and the Avatar once Chen was brought back. In the meantime, I send out daily wires in which I instruct everyone to maintain their states and above all NOT to engage in any sort of violent activity."

"That's good, it'll make the next step a lot smoother."

The engineer furrowed his brow. "Next step?"

Kuvira clasped her hands together. "When I started this campaign three years ago, I wanted nothing more than to help my country, to bring it into the modern times and create the most prosperous age the nation had ever seen. But that vision was lost along the way-I'm not sure how, or when, but it was. We became the aggressors as opposed to the protectors, forcing states to join our union offering oppression or death as the only alternative.I agree with the others that the Earth Empire cannot continue as it has, but at the same time, I don't want to risk the nation falling into the wrong hands. If Wu and Su are the only options left for the world leaders to choose from…I'd rather see death, honestly."

"I'd rather you not, you've been far too close to death for my liking already."

"I must say I agree with your engineer of a fiancé." the Fire Lord expressed, revealing her presence. Both Baatar and Kuvira eyed her strangely and looked around her for Bumi. "Don't worry. I sent him back to the house. I couldn't have him distracting me with his dashing good looks." Kuvira wanted to gag slightly, but seeing that the Fire Lord wasn't likely to give them this time alone again, earthbent a seat for her to join them. She nodded her thanks, sat down, and continued speaking. "Su and Wu are both dreadful alternatives for leading a nation, and quite frankly I was appalled that Raiko even approached Suyin in the first place. Because of my nation's history, I knew that any attempt to intervene in their rather poor decision making would be met with accusations of conspiracy to reestablish our former colonies. You are not a bad leader, Kuvira. You were a really good one who just…went astray. You had everything a ruler needed except guidance. I know you want what to serve your country, but you will never again be trusted to do that unaided. If you're interested, I may be able to set in place… an advisor. Your mistake was going into Ba Sing Se without political support. You were a conqueror, not a peace keeper. I can get you someone all of the world leaders will approve, and ensure they do not try to inhibit you from doing what is needed yet rein you in should you need it."

The metalbender blinked, confused. Where was the woman lounging aimlessly in the trees? More so, why had she taken an interest in her? "Are you saying you want to help me?"

"I am saying I want to help the world and the world needs a strong Earth Kingdom to aid the rest of us in keeping the peace. Nothing will get done if Lin's little sister ends up with a seat at every summit meeting in the next two decades. Suyin excels at many skills-but diplomacy is not one of them."

Kuvira's lips quirked into a smile. Su was many things, but politically savvy she was not. Then again, what was to be expected from a woman who retreated to the safety of a metal lotus every night?

"I thought you would agree. We will speak again, but in the meantime I would suggest you calling the next meeting of the world leaders to discuss the future of the Earth...well, whatever you want to call it now. The sooner, the better, since we're mostly all here anyways."

The metalbender squinted her eyes in confusion. "Would it not make more sense for you to call the meeting? You are by far the most trusted world leader."

"I cannot be seen as a conqueror. You, on the other hand, are already one. If you want to regain the trust of the others, you must take initiative, acknowledge your faults, and move on. How you show humility and self accountability will be paramount in the coming months. This meeting would be the first step." In the distance Tenzin could be heard calling for Izumi. "I should get going, I've been gone far too long already. But I do mean it, we will speak again, especially after you call the meeting. Kuvira, I wish for you the best of health and a speedy recovery. As for you, Bataar Junior, your engineering projects may have been of a destructive nature but they also showcase an ingenuity that will be sorely needed in the world. You should keep up the good work and set aside the rest. Apply your skills towards solving problems and not creating them."

The duo nodded and rose as the Fire Lord stood up, bowing to her as she left.

What exactly did the enigmatic leader have up her sleeve?

* * *

Red robes flowing behind her as she sauntered up the steps, Izumi was greeted by an anxious Tenzin and watchful Lin.

"Did you tell them the plan?" Tenzin asked Izumi.

"Yes."

"Are you sure this is the right course of action?"

Izumi rolled her eyes. "Tenzin, we've all discussed this. It's our only option. Raiko will not accept anyone else and we cannot tolerate one more meeting with that pompous and pathetic excuse of a prince."

"Maybe if we give him more time-"

"How? He should have spent these past three years in university preparing but clearly hasn't been," Lin scowled. Prince Wu's antics were constant newspaper fodder; just once she wished they would advertise his grades, not the parties he attended.

Tenzin nervously rubbed the back of his head. "If someone finds out—"

"No one will find out if you don't tell anyone," Izumi growled just before they reached the main house.

"I just don't think Raiko will be very keen on losing his chief of police." Tenzin commented.

"Raiko won't be losing his chief of police," Lin said pointedly, ducking into a side room that was hardly ever used. After using her seismic sense to see if anyone was nearby, she continued speaking. "I'll work with Kuvira remotely and no one will even know. Besides, it's not like Raiko cares about actual peacekeeping. As long as his popularity remains high and his ego is satisfied, he won't bother us."

"How do you know that Raiko doesn't already have a plan of his own?"

"Oh we are certain Raiko has a plan-what we don't know is if Wu is involved. My sources both in the Republic and in the Fire Nation indicate that Raiko intends to make a puppet out of the Prince and eventually annex the Earth Kingdom to create an super Republic, the pompous prick," Izumi said, the president's name leaving a bad taste in her mouth. "The only uncertainty left is Wu. He is impulsive, as was his aunt, and will likely make a fool of himself time and time again. He is a waste of resources and his short reign, if he ever gets that far, will cost the lives of many. He grew up expecting everything to be handed to him on a silver platter-when he finds that to be untrue even as a king, he will rage. He cannot relate to the struggles his people face. Therefore, he will never be able to understand what needs to be done to maintain such a fractured and complex nation."

"And you still think that Kuvira will be best to resolve everything even after building that spirit canon?"

"You are worried, which is logical," Izumi said, her golden eyes flashing with impatience. Tenzin quieted and averted his gaze. "Kuvira knows what it is like to be neglected and abused. That is enough to give her compassion for the current state of affairs in the EK. With the proper guidance, she can be one of the best leaders the Earth Kingdom has ever seen. Now we're still working on the logistics regarding how and who we will implant to handle our communications but it WILL work, Tenzin. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some calls to make." With a turn of her robes she left, leaving Lin and Tenzin alone.

"Lin, are you sure this is still a good idea?"

"You can't possibly still think Wu's any better? It's not like Su would willingly step up to the plate either-it's security she craves, not power. But let's assume, for argument's sake, that she does take up the mantle of the Earth Kingdom. How will she deal with something as minor as daily disagreements? You've seen how Suyin treats opposition in Zaofu-she would sooner see half her court imprisoned before hearing their side of a story. If anything, I'm more worried for her advocating for Kuvira's life imprisonment without offering anything useful in return."

The airbender hesitated, then took Lin's hand. "I just want you to be going into this with a clear head. I know she saved our daughter's life, but giving her so much power when power was her downfall is not a good idea."

Lin froze but made no move to remove her hand. "If she was truly power-hungry, she would have let Chen die knowing it would destroy us. There is still good in her and qualities that would make for a great leader."

"But her crimes-"

"Will be dealt with accordingly-Izumi and I are straightening that out as well. But consider this: your father managed to spare Fire Lord Ozai's life after everything he had done, despite even Zuko calling for his death. Kuvira only wanted a strong, unified Earth Kingdom that wouldn't be vulnerable to the influence exerted by the United Republic and other foreign entities. Her initiative was commendable, and her intentions were and still are good. I saw it in the Spirit World, and though she's only been awake a day I see it here too. She is willing to change."

"But Lin, are you not betraying your own sister by suggesting this? By going _behind her back_ to put the person she hates most in power?"

"A person who until recently she considered a daughter. As your father used to say, hate is not the absence of love but proof that it still exists," Lin noted. "This will work, Tenzin. I promise."

Tenzin eyed her warily before releasing her hand. "If you say so, Lin. If you say so."

* * *

It had been far, far too long since she had seen her friends.

After sending word initially after the battle that she was okay, Korra's communication with Mako and Asami had been inconsistent at best; she was busy healing Kuvira, Mako was busy helping Saikhan keep the force intact (he had foisted his role as bodyguard off to another detective, thank the Spirits), and Asami had been consumed with running her father's company. But now that the "Great Uniter" was not only awake but declaring a meeting between world leaders, she needed all the emotional support she could get.

 _I know you all are busy, but can you please come to Gaoling?_ She had asked. _I just really need some friendly faces. Tenzin's been acting strangely, Chen's shut herself up in the music room, Mama Lin's been busy trying to keep the peace between all her family members, Toph is still here for some odd reason, and when Izumi isn't fucking Bumi, she's been extremely foreboding and grave. I don't know what's going on, and now Kuvira has called for a world meeting tomorrow, and-_

 _Korra, Korra, don't worry about it! We've already packed our bags,_ Mako had replied. Korra swore she could feel Asami smiling at the end of the other line. Sure enough, the next morning found the two friends landing at the Beifong ancestral estate.

"Little bro!" the firebender exclaimed, dropping his bag and pulling Bolin into a bone-crushing hug. "Look at you! Last time I saw you you had looked like a pig chicken that had been defeathered and just escaped the butcher block!"

"I know! Crazy right? Who would have known so much would have changed in the span of two weeks?"

Asami chuckled at the boys' antics and drew Korra close for a hug. "It's so good to see you, Korra," she said, smiling softly. "I missed you."

Korra returned her smile in kind. "I missed you too." Spirits, she had really missed Asami and her steady presence, her bright green eyes, long legs, soft smile, and perfect hair…

The Avatar was stirred out of her reverie by a startled yelp coming from Bolin as he leaped behind Mako for protection.

"Hello, my feeble turtleduck," came the monotonous voice of one of the chieftains of the Northern Water Tribe.

"Eska! You're here! He-Hello! What brings you here this fine morning?"

"Do you forget my brother and I have our own Water Tribe? That aside, I must offer my condolences as a customary gesture. The loss of your girlfriend must have been absolutely devastating, especially since she was so very threatening."

"Oh, um, Kuvira was never my girlfriend. My actual girlfriend's over there. OPAL? Opal, sweetheart, come say hi _please!_ " Perking up at the sound of her name, Opal excused herself from her conversation with her family and stood by Bolin's side, her fingers interlacing with her boyfriend's. "Eska, this is my girlfriend, Opal Beifong, a proud member of the Air Nation and Team Avatar. Opal, this is Eska, one of the chiefs of the Northern Water Tribe."

"Hm," Eska said, scanning the girl. She seemed nonthreatening enough. "If she is your girlfriend, why didn't you follow her all over the Earth Kingdom?"

"Because I-"

"Because he has his moments, as does everybody." Opal explained in Bolin's defense, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him on the cheek. Bolin melted in response, much to everyone's amusement.

Just as Eska opened her mouth to further question the validity of Opal and Bolin's relationship, hers and her brother's names were called.

"Chiefs Eska and Desna, your Uncle is here," Tenzin called, beckoning them to the main house of the estate. Without another word the enigmatic Water Tribe twins moved as one unit towards the airbender, who showed them to a sitting room that was being occupied by the other world leaders, their faces taut.

Desna sighed. "What inconvenience has transpired now?"

"I was under the impression that coming here, I would get someone to torment," Eska frowned.

"And you will, but only if you are patient," Izumi confirmed. The twins were odd creatures, yes, but surprisingly competent rulers. It was a shame the meeting was limited only to current leaders; they would get along well with her mother.

"Raiko is being uncooperative as always," Tonraq informed his niece and nephew. "We invited him to this meeting, but he claims that he could not possibly go as he is terribly concerned about the welfare of Prince Wu."

"And what are his reservations does he have regarding the welfare of the prince?" Desna inquired.

"Apparently he is still under the impression that this area is still a warzone and is concerned for his own safety." Izumi explained with her head bent over a very strongly worded letter to the president of the United Republic. The gall of that man...

"Why is that not surprising?" Desna responded.

"Because Raiko is a little shit—" Lin muttered, crossing her arms.

"Lin!" Tenzin chastised. The chief rolled her eyes but said nothing in response.

"Have you finished the letter, Fire Lord Izumi?" Eska asked, already bored. If she had wanted to deal with bureaucracy, she could have stayed put in the palace. Izumi handed it over to the twins for approval.

"Should Kuvira sign as well? She is the one who called this meeting," Desna commented, passing it to his sister for review.

"I don't think so," Tonraq expressed. "She already called the meeting. Unless she wants to seem like she's begging, it is better for the other leaders to intervene on her behalf."

"Whatever the case, we need an Earth Kingdom Representative," Tonraq said.

Everyone turned to Lin, who immediately put her hands up. "I have only ever been a citizen of the United Republic. I cannot sign on behalf of the Earth Kingdom."

"Then we should choose the mechanist marrying the Great Uniter," Desna suggested.

"He holds no formal military rank and he is an engineer, not a mechanist," Izumi reminded them.

"Is there really a difference?" Desna asked.

"I think sending the letter with approval from the Fire Nation, Air Nomads and both Water Tribes will be sufficient," Tonraq said, reaching for the letter.

"All in favor?"

"Aye"

"Any opposed?"

The room remained silent.

"So shall we sign?" Izumi asked, handing Tonraq the ceremonial quill. She much preferred pens, but Fire Nation tradition dictated that a quill must be used when signing documents of such international importance.

Tonraq signed first, followed by the chieftains of the northern tribe. Izumi signed next, leaving Tenzin to sign last in the order of the Avatar Cycle. They poured crimson wax over the scroll, which the Fire Lord sealed with her personal crest. After that, she tied it to one of Akari's horns with a blue ribbon and a button from the north.

"I know you don't like this. You're far more noble than a simple-minded messenger bird, but we need you to help us make a statement," Izumi cooed as she said her goodbye to her beloved animal companion.

"Will you give him hell for me, Akari?" Bumi asked a little more gruffly. "Break the window to his office in that high rise and hand him that letter personally?"

"Don't listen to him. I know you'll get the letter to the president without the destruction of public property, my sweet little Akari!" Izumi ordered, pushing Bumi aside to give her beloved dragon one last kiss goodbye.

* * *

Raiko was on his way home from a rare night with his wife when his car stopped.

"What is happening?" Buttercup asked shrilly.

"It appears there has been some sort of road blockage," The chauffeur replied as they came up to a massive, scaly, cylindrical object blocking their way.

"Love, it's MOVING!" Buttercup screamed as the object snaked around the car, trapping it completely.

Just then it showed its face. "A DRAGON!"

It tapped on the windshield with a whisker and stared the president of Republic City in the face.

"Open the door," Raiko ordered.

"Forgive me, Mr. President, but I don't think that is safe!"

"DO AS I SAY!"

The chauffeur unlocked the door and Raiko stepped out. Akari used a whisker to pull the scroll from her horn and handed it to the trembling non-bender.

 _To President Raiko,_

 _We, Chief Tonraq of the Southern Water Tribe, Chiefs Eska and Desna of the Northern Water Tribe, Lord Izumi of the Fire Nation, and Master Tenzin of the Air Nomads have summoned you to the city of Gaoling, Earth Kingdom for an urgent meeting to discuss the next course of action following the recent failings of the Earth Empire and it's glorious savior. Should you fail to arrive by the end of the next day, you completely and automatically waive your right to protest whatever decision is made by the quorum already present. We look forward to receiving your answer._

"Mr. President, sir?"

Raiko snapped his head up to see the dragon watching him intently, it's body coiling around his car ever more tightly. He sighed. "Tell your master that I will see her in Gaoling tomorrow. Driver, take us to the airship field. We leave immediately. And stop by Republic City University. We need to bring Prince Wu."


	21. Chapter 21

It's been far too long, but I'm finally back! Read and review :)

* * *

The force from Akari's liftoff was enough to knock Kuvira to the ground. Of course, it didn't take much, but it was still frustrating.

Kya learned from an irate Suyin that Kuvira had been "traipsing around the grounds as if she owned the place." While the healer doubted that was even remotely true, it also meant that she could up her time in physical therapy with the young metalbender. As such, Kuvira was now in the midst of her second session, though it was disrupted by the departure of the Fire Lord's dragon.

"Seriously?" she groaned as Kya hastened to help her up off the ground. "I almost got through walking a whole lap around these gardens without tripping over myself."

"I know, I know," the waterbender soothed. "You'll get it soon enough. Come, let's try that again."

The young woman grunted in response and clutched the metal railings Kya had set up, her focus solely on not tripping over her feet. When she was a child, she had fast-tracked into Suyin's top dance class because of her natural grace. Now, her feet felt like lead. Straining, she pushed one foot in front of another until she reached the end of the railings. She settled herself to the ground, chest heaving from exertion.

"That's not bad at all. My legs would have been cooked noodles half an hour ago if I were in your shoes."

Kuvira's head snapped towards Kya, only to find the woman warmly smiling at Lin Beifong, who stood in the healing hut with her hands on her hips. "Lin, how lovely to see you," the waterbender greeted, reaching out for a hug.

"You as well," Lin responded, lingering in Kya's embrace for a few beats longer than Kuvira expected. Afterward, she turned again to Kuvira. "How much longer before Kya releases you from her torture?"

"Ha ha," Kya responded. "I was actually going to let her go for the night. I know she can push herself further, but I also want her to be able to move tomorrow."

"Oh perfect, so then I've come at the right time," the police chief responded, sitting down on a nearby chair. Kya immediately got the hint and began packing up.

"I'll see you later for tea, Lin?" Kya asked as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Was it just Kuvira, or was the waterbender being a little flirtatious?

"Wouldn't miss it." With a flash of her smile the waterbender was gone, leaving Kuvira alone with Lin. Lin waited for the woman's reverberations to fade before speaking to the younger woman.

"So, how has the rest of your day been? Other than waking up, of course."

"Can't complain, really. I had my first physical therapy session with Kya, then I had a nice, long bath, then Bataar showed me around the gardens."

"Oh, he did? What did he show you?"

"The pygmy-dragonkoi pond and the flowers growing on the trellises. We were going to go into the mini walled garden when we ran into Fire Lord Izu-" Kuvira started, catching herself. The way the leader had cornered them, her plans had to remain secret.

"Where you all talked about the future of the Earth Kingdom, finding an advisor and maintaining your place as its primary head of state," Lin finished, interlacing her fingers.

"Yes," the young woman responded, not meeting Lin's gaze. That alone piqued the police chief's interest; it wasn't like Kuvira to be bashful.

"Does that not appeal to you? Frankly, I can't imagine you wanting Su taking over. Wasn't her inaction what spurred you to start your campaign?"

"Yes, but-"

"So you're warming up to the idea of Wu regaining his throne? Need I remind you that you renamed the Earth Kingdom the Earth Empire on the day of his coronation to prevent him from undoing your hard work, which would have immediately dissolved?"

"I remember, but-"

"So what is it, then?" Lin asked, her pale green eyes boring into Kuvira's fern-colored ones. "What could possibly prevent you from accepting Izumi's offer and mine, to help you strengthen your claim?"

"You-"

"Yes, me, I'm in on it too. There, I confess it. The real question is, what do _you_ want to do?"

"I don't know if I want the power!" Kuvira exclaimed, hugging her knees to her chest.

Lin raised an eyebrow. She didn't need to use her seismic sense to know that the young woman in front of her was lying. "You graduated secondary school two years early so that you could join Su's cadre of Metal Clan guards. By the time you were 21, you had worked yourself up to Captain. Spurred on by my sister's refusal to act in the aftermath of Hou-Ting's assassination, you single-handedly convinced most of the Guard and many of Zaofu's wealthiest citizens to join you on your mission to stabilize Ba Sing Se, which you successfully did in the span of two weeks. You say you don't want power, but your past actions indicate otherwise."

Kuvira sighed. "I can't be trusted."

The confession took the breath out of the police chief's chest. "And why not?"

The young women barked out a harsh laugh. "Let's count this out, shall we? I conquered the Earth Kingdom, I made my countrymen suffer for what I thought was a glorious cause, I imprisoned ethnically foreign citizens and dissidents, I challenged your sister and attacked your daughter in Zaofu, I ordered the spirit cannon that nearly killed her to be built-do I really need to keep going?"

"All of these 'mistakes,' if you want to call them that, happened when you were acting alone. There is a reason Korra works best in a group," Lin noted with a hint of amusement. Becoming serious once again, she continued on. "You have courage and strength and now fear of your own influence over people. That is commendable. Under Izumi's proposal, I will personally see that you don't lose your sense of self again. You know what it is like to be exploited for your bending, you lived it when you served as Suyin's captain of the guard. I am not as blind to emotion as I may seem, Kuvira. I saw how she treated you. I know you won't treat your army in such a way ever again after the recent string of events."

Kuvira looked away, feeling tears in her eyes. Were pregnancy hormones supposed to kick in already, or was it the fact that Lin Beifong just stripped her of her armor? "I told you before, Chief Beifong, you don't need to be kind to me on account of what I have done for you. Saving Chen is not a good enough reason to believe in me and my abilities. You owe me nothing in return."

"You saved my daughter, true, but that's not why I'm coming to you," Lin said, calmly staring down the young woman. "I care about the Earth Kingdom too; the blood, sweat, and tears of my ancestors have helped make it what it is today. I want what is best for my homeland and that of my daughter, and the best is standing right in front of me. You CAN help the Earth Kingdom."

"How many people know about this grand scheme that you and the Fire Lord are planning?"

"Only those that need to know, for the time being."

 _So definitely not Suyin. She would never go along with something like this willingly._ "That doesn't answer my question," the young woman responded, arching an eyebrow.

"As an advisor, I must warn you against filling your head with extraneous information that can cloud your judgment."

"And who said I would be willing to accept you as my advisor? I haven't even agreed to anything!"

"This is true," Lin conceded with a rare smile. "But if the past has shown me anything, it's that you're restless. I wouldn't be surprised if we talked again later about this same subject."

"Mama, Akari's back," Chen said, materializing in the doorway. Kuvira studied the girl intently; she was smiling, yes, but she seemed much more serious. Perhaps Tenzin's side was finally showing more prominently. Also, how long had she and Lin been speaking, exactly, if the dragon had already brought Raiko back from Republic City? The city was hours away...

"Is Izumi restraining her?" Lin asked casually.

"On the contrary, I think she might be baby-talking her-though the President is too preoccupied with himself and his 'near-death experience' to even notice," Chen smiled mischievously. Kuvira allowed herself a small smile. It seemed Chen had some Beifong in her yet.

"I'll be in in a minute to watch with you, my love," the chief said, flashing a smile towards her daughter. Chen smiled back, bowed slightly to Kuvira, and disappeared from the frame.

Kuvira waited until Chen's footsteps faded before talking again. "She seems more serious. What happened while I was gone?"

Lin's face grew serious. "Your conversation in the Spirit World happened. Before you ask she hasn't told me what you two discussed, but it still bothers her, even if she won't admit it." She walked over and gently placed a hand on Kuvira's shoulder. "Give her time. She will come around-she needs to see for herself that you're willing to change. She is the kindest person I know, but if crossed she can definitely hold a grudge-a Beifong trait if I've ever seen one."

Kuvira sighed. She knew Su and Lin were grudgeholders, but she had hoped that the teen would be different. Then again, it was naïve of her to assume Chen would be happy with her immediately, considering past events. "If you say so."

"I know so. Now come, you should greet Raiko and the rest of the world leaders now that everyone's here. We're not meeting officially until tomorrow morning, but formalities never hurt."

"You don't seem like one for small talk, Chief."

Lin snorted. "I hate it with every fiber of my being-I prefer a straightforward approach. But it is essential in diplomacy. Also in motherhood too."

The blood in Kuvira's veins turned to ice. "What?"

A knowing smile played on the police chief's lips. "I use seismic sense as much as I use my own eyesight. I can detect even the most minute of heartbeats. As small as those two are, I can tell they'll be strong just like their mother."

The young metalbender paled. "They?"

"We should hurry," Lin said sternly, changing her face back to the stoic chief of police and brusquely walking away, inhibiting any further discussion on the topic of motherhood. Kuvira quickly followed, her mind turning over the new piece of information over and over again.

She was going to be a mother. A mother to _twins_. How in the Four Nations was she supposed to go through niceties after that?

* * *

The next day dawned clear and bright, the perfect setting for a meeting between world leaders. Wanting to take advantage of the sun before going to the meeting, Korra decided to take breakfast outside with Mako, Opal, Bolin, and Asami. She laid her legs on Asami's lap as she lazily ate her apple.

"So, do you think you'll figure out why everyone's been acting so strangely?" Bolin asked.

"I hope so, though I've stayed here for almost three weeks now and I'm still no closer to understanding the Fire Lord," Korra sighed, reaching for a red bean bun.

"To be honest, that lady scares me," Bolin mumbled with a mouth full of apple, and his head in Opal's lap. "And I thought I was afraid of Chief Beifong. No offense, Opal."

"None taken. My aunt comes off rather...strongly."

"Do not feel bad, the Fire Lord scares everybody," Eska said appearing, ruining the serene mood.

Bolin shrieked and sat up, nearly choking on his apple, startling Opal.

"It is a rather admirable trait," Desna added flatly.

"Eska, Desna," Korra said, acknowledging her cousins' presence. "Don't you guys have business to tend to or something?"

"We would, but your generous father has offered to cover for us. He knows we find such business so dreadfully tedious and boring," Desna responded.

"Why would my father take on more work for you?" Korra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because he thought we might take the opportunity to bond with you, dear cousin," Desna explained. Korra barely bit back a snotty response. Though her father and uncle were never on good terms, Tonraq had tried in vain over the years to get the cousins to bond; his ideas hardly worked, much to his chagrin.

"Personally, I find tormenting peasants far more fun. Don't you agree, my feeble, little turtle duck?" Eska asked, taking a step towards Bolin.

"Feeble turtle-duck?" Opal asked, raising an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?"

"It is a term of endearment for one's almost husband," Eska droned. "We would be blissfully wed if our dear cousin Korra hadn't ruined the wedding."

Opal's eyes widened and she spun towards her boyfriend. "Almost-husband? I thought you were joking about that!"

"No, there was a betrothal necklace and everything," Mako piped up, finishing his berries. "I think it even had a skull on it."

Just as Opal was about to speak, Tonraq called from the main house. "Eska, Desna, Korra, wrap it up! The meeting is about to begin."

"We are coming," Desna called back.

The Chieftains of the Northern Tribe both eyed the Krew blankly. "Good day. Come, cousin, we should meet your father."

The three moved to join the other world leaders in the conference room. Korra was greeted by a clasp on the shoulder by Chief Beifong, and directed to her seat in the middle of the oval table, across from Prince Wu, Izumi, and the twins, and next to her father and Tenzin. Raiko was next to the prince and glowering at Kuvira across the table. Kuvira, slowly gaining her color back, was dressed in a traditional Gaoling dress with a white skirt, white diaphanous sleeves, and jade bodice tied with darker green ribbons. Her hair was braided loosely and tied off with a darker green ribbon—a far cry from the severe uniform she had worn like a second skin. Once everyone was situated, Lin closed the doors as Izumi banged the gavel to signal the start of the meeting.

"All rise," she commanded.

The others rose immediately, even Lin.

"We are here today at the behest of the Great Uniter, Kuvira, to discuss the future of the Earth Empire. May this be a productive conversation."

Everyone nodded and sat down except for Kuvira, who remained standing.

"Thank you all for coming," the young woman said, giving a curt nod to a displeased Raiko. "Before we begin, I would like to apologize for the strife I have caused. I wanted nothing more than to bring the Earth Kingdom into the modern era, but I have done it at a terrible, terrible cost. I exploited the lives of my countrymen, I ate up resources that should have rightfully belonged to the people, I overstepped my boundaries, and I created a weapon that defiled the purest of energy sources. I truly am very sorry for what I have done, and am willing to work with you all to better the future of the Earth Kingdom."

"And that sentiment is well appreciated," Izumi nodded as the metalbender sat down. "We appreciate you calling us all here today, and look forward to working with you as well."

"I'm sorry, working with Kuvira?" Raiko said, arching an eyebrow. Izumi frowned but said nothing. "I thought this meeting was convened so that we would never have to work with her again and discuss how best to proceed with the transition of power in a way that would minimize disturbance to the now… unified... nation."

Korra did not miss the look that passed between Izumi, Lin, and Tenzin. Just as the Fire Lord was clearing her throat to speak, Wu jumped in. "Ooh, are we already jumping into discussing grand plans? I have an idea! Alright, so get this, I was in my political science lecture at university, and we discussed the different types of government. You know, like the ecclesiocracy of the Air Nomads, the tribaldom of the Water Tribes, and the monarchy like the Earth Kingdom. At the end of the lecture, they started talking about the concept of democracy-"

"You go to Republic City University, correct? Who was the professor?" Izumi interrupted, her golden eyes flashing at the sound of opportunity.

"Professor Yaojing-

"-Li of the Fire Nation. Large, robust man with a sweaty left brow?" After seeing Wu's nervous nod, she chuckled. "I knew him well back in my day-he was a political advisor of my father's and a former tutor of mine. My father appreciated his rather extreme take on politics-perhaps you haven't heard, but he is an ardent advocate for absolute democracy. In theory, a good idea, but it is a chaotic system. Implementing it in the Earth Kingdom, noted for its large and diverse population, would be absolutely disastrous."

"But why? Why is absolute democracy such a terrible idea?" Wu asked innocently. Korra gazed curiously at the other world leaders as they tensed up. The Fire Lord took a deep breath and began speaking.

"Let us imagine a scenario, Prince Wu. Professor Li is very fond of those, no?"

The monarch hesitantly nodded.

"Right. Let's say that we call an election. In the United Republic of Nations, for example, you only have one day to vote. So first, we have to assume that everyone is able to vote on that one day and that everyone DOES vote on that one day. Then, once everyone votes, you come to a decision: do you count the votes in the home state, or do you send them to Ba Sing Se to be counted? If you count them in the home state, you are trusting that the people counting ballots can be trusted to accurately report the results as opposed to lying about them to support their preferred candidates. If you send them to Ba Sing Se, you have to assume that all votes will be received. That's not even counting the time it takes for some votes to get to Ba Sing Se. Kuvira, how long would it take for votes from a southern state to reach the walled city?"

"Depends on the state," Kuvira said crisply. Feeling Lin's eyes on the back of her head, she reflexively softened. It would not do her well to revert to the Great Uniter. "Gaoling to Ba Sing Se would take four to six days. If we're talking the island states, that could take half a day to a day to cross from the island to the continent, and then anywhere from five to seven days."

"So already you would have a lag between when votes are cast and when votes are counted. Assuming everything goes well, it would take a week for all votes to be received in Ba Sing Se, and then you would still have to count them. With a nation of your size, that could take weeks or even months! And then what is your government supposed to do in the meantime? They can't pass legislation-it could be undone by the incoming victors. It's not like you could appoint anyone, because again, this is an absolute democracy, and so everyone is voting on every political position. Spirits, I'm forgetting the biggest assumption of all: that every voter is educated on the positions that the candidates take, and is voting according to whether or not they believe in the candidate to achieve their proposed goals. Do you see now why an absolute democracy for your nation isn't feasible?"

Wu silently nodded, eyes wide. Izumi would have felt bad for him, if not for the fact that he had known about his ascendancy for years. What in the flameo had he been _doing_ while he was supposed to be preparing to rule his people?

"Then how about we make a Republic like the URN-" Raiko suggested.

"Which, even when peaceful, is still rife with crime and insurrection despite your chief of police's great efforts," Izumi said pointedly. "Need I remind you that your position only exists because the prior council members regularly succumbed to bribery, selfishly voting not for what was right but for whatever would fill their pockets with more yuans? Nor should we forget the fact that that Tarrlok used bloodbending to keep his secretary quiet about his illegal coercion of the other council members to approve the formation of a task force, thus exploiting the police department for his own popularity. If I recall, the police department hemorrhaged quite a bit of money that year-or have you already forgotten?"

Raiko crossed his arms in a huff. He knew very well his position only existed because of what came before it, and how tenuous a hold he had on the country even now. This "Earth Empire" nonsense was only loosening his grip-the wrong step and he could kiss goodbye to another term of the presidency.

"That is what I thought," Izumi said, clasping her hands. "Now let us get to the meeting itself: we are to discuss the future of the Earth Kingdom. Kuvira has made it clear that she is stepping down as the Great Uniter of the Earth Empire, and as such, we need to prepare for what comes next."

"I think we can all agree that spirit energy can never be harnessed again," Tonraq said, trying to steer the conversation back to a productive topic. "Unless we have any dissenting opinions?"

"I have a question," Raiko said. Korra felt Tonraq and Tenzin tense on either side of her. "Why did you explore the use of spirit energy?"

"Most of the Earth Kingdom uses coal or wood to power their houses. I was interested in exploring a cleaner energy option that didn't eat up resources," Kuvira explained.

"Did it power things cleanly?"

"Better than even Bataar could have imagined," the young woman said. "A single forearm-length section has the capability of powering a large town for a year, according to the preliminary research."

Raiko's eyes flashed with interest. Korra shook her head. "President Raiko, I'm going to stop you right there. The spirit vines should not be harvested at all. To do so is to upset the very delicate balance between spirits and man, and I cannot allow that to happen!"

"Avatar Korra, do you realize how much energy Republic City alone needs to operate? Something like this-"

"Should not be touched, Raiko," Tenzin warned. "If the past couple weeks have shown us anything, it's that spirit energy is powerful and unpredictable! It should not be tampered with, period!"

"My question is, how did explorations into cleaner energy turn into a weapon of mass destruction?" Tonraq asked.

"My army might be among the most trained now, but I didn't want to sacrifice any of my men for my cause," Kuvira answered honestly. "I thought that if I had a weapon that could obliterate the opposition more efficiently, my men could walk away unharmed. I never thought about the aftermath, not until I was subject to it. It is a miracle that I am alive, along with Chen Beifong. I agree with the Avatar and Master Tenzin, spirit energy should not ever be tampered with again."

Raiko crossed his arms but said nothing in response. It was easy for them to say not to use spirit energy-but they weren't the ones in charge of a country with over 10 million people.

"Motion to vote on spirit energy?" Izumi said, making a mental note to put spies in place to ensure Raiko didn't begin experimentation on the Spirit Wilds.

"We second the motion to vote," Desna and Eska replied monotonously.

"Excellent," the Fire Lord said, clasping her hands. "All those in favor?...Any against?... There will be no further experimentation on spirit vine energy."

Korra and Tenzin looked at each other, their faces relieved. Lin, sitting by the door, breathed her own sigh of relief. Thank the Spirits no one else would have to suffer as Chen and Kuvira did.

"Perhaps we should proceed to the next order of business," Desna droned.

"I agree, brother. I think it is time to discuss the future leadership of the Earth Kingdom," Eska said.

"I propose Kuvira remain in place as the sovereign of the nation WITH an advisory council of representatives chosen by us," Izumi suggested.

Everyone gaped at the Fire Lord. Lin pretended to yawn to hide her smirk. Izumi was not one for beating around the bush.

"But-Fire Lord Izumi-what if I don't want-" Kuvira stammered.

"You relinquished the authority to have any say this decision when you called this meeting in the first place to decide the fate of your nation." Izumi reminded the young woman.

"But-"

"I agree with the Fire Lord," Tonraq interjected. "Kuvira has seen first-hand the challenges the people of the Earth Kingdom face daily, and while she has added to some of those challenges, she has also solved most others."

Korra caught Kuvira's panicked stare. Something was happening, and it was clear that she wanted no part in it.

Why did she get the feeling that this is what Izumi was concerned about?

"The people will know what they are getting from Kuvira. Someone positively terrifying, a trait I fully embrace in a good leader, and well as a steadfast, strong woman who will swiftly deal with bandits and traitors to her nation," Eska voiced. "Her mishaps with this…spirit weapon will serve as a deterrent to any who think of rising up. In terms of the officials in the advisory council, I think those members should be elected by the people of the Earth Kingdom instead of being specially chosen by us. It would give the Earth Kingdom citizens the belief that they actually have influence in the operation of their nation while it is rebuilding."

"Wait, I'm confused. If democracy isn't feasible, then shouldn't the throne return to me?" Wu asked.

Izumi narrowed her eyes. "Not 20 minutes earlier you were willing to give up your duty to your people in the name of democracy. What exactly has changed?"

"I want a say in how my nation progresses! Is that too much to ask for?"

"No, but rather odd that now's the time you decide to speak up for your people," Izumi said, an eyebrow raised. She knew that Wu was going to do something unpredictable-figures that 'unpredictable' would be actually caring about his constituents.

"This is absolutely ludicrous," Raiko bellowed. "Surely you realize the absurdity of giving the power back to the callous woman who abused the privilege we granted her the first time!"

"Need I remind you, President Raiko, that it was because of you that the Earth Kingdom became an Empire," Izumi said, staring down the man across from her. "Had we sent in political advisors as had been planned, we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"Master Tenzin, what do you think?" Eska and Desna asked.

Tenzin drew a breath and sighed. "My father always told me that in everyone, there exists the capacity for great good and great evil. He had faith that everyone, even Fire Lord Ozai," he nodded to Izumi, "Was capable of change. If the other world leaders are in agreement, I am willing to give Kuvira a second chance so long as she complies to having a council ruling by her side."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Korra said, gazing in shock at the world leaders around the table. "I don't understand-don't you all think this moving WAY too quickly?"

"What I don't understand is why we're sitting here making platitudes to a war criminal who drove the Earth Kingdom into the ground!" Raiko rumbled. "What we should be talking about right now is punishment, not when she's going to move into the throne room! There should be an international trial, jail time, _something!_ "

"International trials only occur if the accused has committed crimes across borders. Last I checked, Kuvira was solidly in the Earth Kingdom the entire time," Izumi stated.

"She used a weapon of mass destruction!"

"A weapon that employed technology you were all too interested in co-opting for your own nation," Desna observed.

"What matters at this moment is that Kuvira is taken care of, and at this rate, I'm beginning to think the only thing that will take care of her is having _Korra remove her bending!_ "

The room was deathly silent. Kuvira stared at the table in front of her, clasping her hands on her lap, not protesting.

"You did _not_ just propose what I think you just proposed," Korra growled, clenching her fists.

"I don't understand your hesitation, Avatar Korra. Avatar Aang removed the yakuza criminal Yakone's waterbending after he bloodbent dozens of victims. Kuvira has tyrannized an entire nation!"

"He only did so because the Avatar spirit took over and had him take away Yakone's bending-up until then, Aang searched for any other possible solution!"

"So you're just going to let Kuvira walk away unscathed?"

"Unscathed?" Lin repeated in disbelief. "President Raiko, Kuvira risked her life to save my daughter. She threw herself in front of the haywire weapon that SHE created. Her back was nearly melted and her spirit trapped in the spirit world for hours, and even then it took her over two weeks before she fully returned to our world. I assure you, she did not come through unscathed."

"What I do and do not do is none of your business! I am not some political puppet you can dust off and use to your liking! " Korra barked, the air around her heating up in response to her anger. Tonraq gently put a hand on her shoulder to ease her. "You may not understand because you're a nonbender, but having your bending taken away is-is worse than dying! It's one of the worst things that's ever happened to me, and considering what's happened in the past three years that's saying something."

"Oh really?" Raiko asked, unmoved by the Avatar's answer. "What is it like, exactly?"

"Like being dead while alive," Lin said, standing up from her position by the door and walking slowly towards him. Raiko swore under his breath. He forgot that the esteemed Chief of Police had temporarily had her bending taken away. "As an earthbender I can feel the vibration of even the tiniest insect stepping on a blade of grass. Bending is as integral to my being as breathing. Without it, the world became dark and silent. I felt blind though my eyes were open. I felt asleep though I was awake. I felt numb no matter what I touched-it was like I didn't have a body. By the second day, I didn't care if I never could be chief of police again. I didn't care if I could no longer protect anybody. I was just desperate to feel something, but no matter what I did to try to fill the void, it remained _empty_!" The police chief stood over the president. "You will not have Korra take her bending away. It's a gross injustice and grave abuse of the power the citizens of the United Republic have invested in you. Am I clear?"

Raiko gave the chief of police a curt nod.

"Why don't we break for recess?" Izumi said, standing up from the table. Lin and Korra stalked out, the others following.

* * *

Blindfold on. Stomp now, think later. How could Raiko even suggest her taking someone's bending away? It wasn't like arresting a thief!

Korra angrily practiced using seismic sense, every forceful step revealing more about the environment than her eyes could process. Izumi, Lin, and Tenzin were arguing in a parlor; her father and cousins were sitting outside making what could only be awkward small talk; Kuvira was walking with Bataar in the gardens, her hand tightly holding his; Wu was sitting alone underneath the shade of a willow tree.

Wu was…Wu was an interesting character. The 20-year-old heir to the Earth Kingdom, she had heard Mako bemoan many a forced spa excursion and shopping trip—which was hysterical, really, since he was supposed to be attending lectures at Republic City University half the time. He struck her as a well-meaning if completely oblivious world leader. Not unlike herself, really, when she first arrived in Republic City. With a huff, she ripped off her blindfold and joined him under the shady willow tree.

"Hey, Avatar," Prince Wu sighed.

"Hi Wu," Korra greeted. He sighed and said nothing. "So," she said after a few moments of silence, "meeting with the world leaders is truly something else, isn't it?"

"I guess. No one seems to like me, especially the Fire Lord."

"Fire Lord Izumi has been raised to put her nation before everything else. You, on the other hand, tried giving up the Earth Kingdom within the first ten minutes of the meeting in the name of absolute democracy. That won't sit well with her."

"I guess not," Wu mumbled.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Why not, Avatar?"

"Why were you so eager to give up the Earth Kingdom? Do you not want to be king?"

"No, no I do!" Wu said, vigorously nodding his head. "It's just—I'm not ready to be king."

Korra furrowed her brow in confusion. "I don't understand—haven't you been preparing to ascend to the throne your entire life?"

"Not exactly. My grandmother died WAY before I was born, so my great-aunt put all of her efforts in cultivating my father's talents so that he would continue her policies. But it didn't work out—he died when I was still a baby. After that I was raised in the palace, and as long as I didn't disturb my great-aunt I could do whatever I wanted. Besides, I wasn't supposed to start learning the ropes until this year. I don't know about the Water Tribes, but in the Earth Kingdom you're not considered an adult until you're 20. And my great-aunt died when I was only 17, so—"

"So you definitely weren't learning anything from the Grand Secretariat," Korra mused. "But you go to Republic City University—haven't you been preparing there?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Forgive me, but I don't understand. You say you've been preparing, so what gives? Why are you so hesitant?"

"Because I don't think it's possible for me to be a good king! I've read about my country's history, and I know I'll bear the same fate!" Wu blurted out. "I know I don't look it, Avatar, but I study the past as a history major, and I pay attention to what's happening now. My great-aunt may have plunged states into poverty for her own personal gain, but my great-grandfather didn't even know about the Hundred Year War until Aang was on his doorstep because the Dai Li used him as a puppet! The Dai Li wouldn't even exist if it weren't for my umpteenth great-grandfather terrorizing his citizens!"

Korra stared at the prince beside her in shock. "Wait, what happened to the prince who skipped class to sit in fancy mud?"

"First off, it's a clay mineral bath and it's very good for detoxifying your pores. Second off, why can't I like nice things? I'm not some heathen, after all!"

Korra chuckled. "That you're not, Prince Wu."

"I know this is going to sound terrible, but in a morbid way, I'm kind of glad my great-aunt died. If she hadn't, I never would have learned about how she really ruled, or about my nation's past—I didn't learn anything until I went to college, really. Knowing what my country's been through, I want to help them—I just know me ascending to the throne isn't it, as much as I want it to be. That's why I suggested an absolute democracy—if anyone would know how they want to be ruled, it would be my people. I guess Kuvira taking over wouldn't be a terrible idea either."

"Do you think Kuvira taking over permanently is a better option?"

"She knows our nation better than I ever have. She's seen every state, she's talked to the people—even as the Great Uniter she was a formidable leader. I just wish there were some middle ground. I mean, I guess I could keep going to school, but-"

Korra's ears perked up. "What about more school?"

"Yeah, there's an international law program at my school. I would study the nations' law systems, complete two different apprenticeships-it takes a while, but I don't know if it's a good idea, what with the state of the Earth Kingdom and-"

Korra cut Wu off with a bonecrushing hug. "You want a middle path, and you have a middle path! I have to go, but just hang tight, yeah?"

Wu nodded dumbly. Korra rushed off, a plan already forming in her mind.

* * *

"What were you THINKING?" Tenzin huffed, his arms crossed while he paced back-and-forth in an unused parlor.

"I was thinking that we were going by the plan that we discussed multiple times," Izumi responded, rolling her eyes at her worrywart of a brother-in-law. "Unless I forgot anything, Lin?"

"Let's see, you got the other world leaders to agree never to use spirit energy, you put forth the proposal to put Kuvira in charge of the Earth Kingdom-no, I think we're good."

"This is never going to work," Tenzin said, his voice rising from anxiety. "This is never going to pass."

"Tenzin, Tonraq and the other Water Tribe Chieftains have already voiced their approval for the plan," the Fire Lord said. "It's going to be seconded as soon as everyone walks back in the door."

"Oh yeah? What about Raiko?"

"Raiko's only pissed that he can't take all the glory for modernizing the Earth Kingdom AND that he can't use the most illicit source of energy to power his nation," Lin noted. "If it didn't affect him so personally, he would be trying to lead the way and take credit for all of Izumi's hard work."

"And Prince Wu? You don't think he's going to want his nation back?"

Izumi arched her eyebrow. "He tried giving up his throne within the first ten minutes of the meeting. I don't think we have anything to worry about."

"Hey guys, how's it going?"

The three adults swiveled to find Korra leaning in the doorway, her face unamused. She walked in, her eyes on the chief.

"Chief Beifong, you like me, right? Or at least respect me to some extent?"

Lin's brows furrowed. Korra hadn't been that formal with her in years. "Of course I do, kid, why?"

"That's what I thought too because the idea of you three going behind my back to make plans to stabilize the Earth Kingdom wouldn't happen, right?" Korra arched an eyebrow, surveying everyone's reactions. Lin sighed, Izumi stared stonily back, and Tenzin nervously rubbed his head. "Tui and La, you all actually did. What the actual fuck? Fire Lord Izumi, we've never crossed paths so that I understand, but you two? Tenzin, you're my airbending master, you opened up your home to me! And Lin, you've always tried to keep me in the loop!"

"I am sorry Korra, but excluding you in the preliminary process was necessary to minimize the chaos that your _sometimes_ reckless ambition creates," Lin responded, reaching out to comfort the young woman but deciding against it. "We didn't want you to jump to conclusions before understanding the scope of the situation. We couldn't have you running off to your friends with incomplete information asking for advice when the fates of whole nations are at stake."

Izumi crossed her arms. Despite her father's involvement in the Avatar's newest life, she had never met Korra. Based on what she saw, the young woman was nothing like her predecessor; brash, stubborn, and not prone to thinking things through, she was more like a younger version of Zuko, if anything. Not ideal, but she could work with that. "Korra, you must understand that stabilizing the Earth Kingdom is not something that one person can do alone, especially someone as young, inexperienced, and naive as you or Kuvira and certainly not Wu. We didn't make our decision lightly, and that is with decades of experience working in high-stakes situations."

"But-"

"It's not personal," Tenzin replied, trying to reassure the Avatar. "It's just that the world has changed so much while you've been recovering—there's so many things that have happened—"

"Oh spirits," Lin muttered as the air around them heated up.

"You think I don't know that? You don't think I've realized how far the world has fallen out of balance? Spirits, did you think I wanted to be stuck in the South Pole, far away from almost everyone I loved while my body was one bad fall from completely giving out?"

"Are you completely healed now?" Izumi asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine, thank you," Korra said stiffly. The Fire Lord frowned but didn't press the Avatar; she would ask Lin later what had happened. "The point is, I want to help the world just as badly as you all do. I can't do that if you all keep me out of the loop of whatever you're planning! And Tenzin, if you say 'it really wasn't personal' one more time I'll scream. It became personal the minute the chief asked me to help save her family, and it sure as shit became personal when I ventured into the Spirit World to bring Chen and Kuvira back!"

Lin crossed her arms, Tenzin tightened his jaw, and Izumi arched an eyebrow. Korra took a deep breath; maybe she went a little too far. "I may not have a vote in there, but I need to make sure that whatever is passed inside that room works outside of it. I can't do that unless you tell me exactly what you've planned."

Izumi looked at Lin. The earthbender gestured for the Fire Lord to speak. "Tenzin, Lin, and I have planned for Kuvira to continue running the Earth Kingdom with a group of advisors elected by the people of the Earth Kingdom. That way, she's held accountable for all of her future actions."

Korra blinked. "That's it?"

"What do you mean that's it?" Izumi asked, her golden eyes flashing.

"Wha-no, no, no, I think that's a good idea!" Korra said, furiously nodding her approval. "Kuvira knows the Earth Kingdom better than anyone at this point, and she'd be the perfect person to lead until Prince Wu is ready to ascend to the throne!"

Tenzin groaned and Lin stiffed. Korra took a deep breath so as to not set something near her on fire. "You all are planning on putting Kuvira on the throne permanently? What the FUCK!"

"Language, Korra," Lin murmured, sending her a warning glance.

"Wu will never be ready to ascend the throne," Izumi stated, her eyes narrowing. "I've had sources trailing him ever since Hou-Ting's unfortunate demise. He even expressed at Varrick's wedding that he was prioritizing his 'singing career' over his country!"

"He's scared, Fire Lord Izumi!" Korra blurted out before covering her mouth. Blushing, she quickly bowed in apology to the world leader before continuing. "He didn't grow up shadowing Hou-Ting. In fact, she kept him as far away from her throne room as possible, so much so that he didn't know anything about his ancestors' history until he started at Republic City University two years ago! What he learned scared him so much that he tried distancing himself even further from the throne. Now that we are where we are, he wants to help. Spirits, he wants Kuvira to take over until he finishes his education!"

Lin scoffed. "Kid, that's in two years. Kuvira can't undo the damage she committed in that amount of time. Shit, I'm not even sure _you_ could."

"Then he is a coward, and cowards aren't fit to be rulers. Rulers must know when to take initiative and find out _shit_ for themselves. They don't wait until it's convenient for them to start leading their people."

"I understand, Fire Lord Izumi, but what if I told you he'd be done in 10 years and not two?"

Izumi stopped walking and leaned against the doorframe. "I'm sorry, is he planning on continuously failing his course of study?

"Not even close. Apparently, he has decent marks and is considering undertaking a law degree once he finishes his studies. There's a program through his university that specializes in international law and makes you study the legal systems of the Water Tribes, Fire Nations, and Earth Kingdom before you graduate. It's rough, since you're studying the legal codes of three different nations and then have to apprentice after you graduate in two of your choice, but Wu's seriously considering doing it so that he can better understand the legal and political climate."

Lin put her hands on her hips. "Are you telling me that the kid who almost missed his philosophy final last year because he extended his spa retreat wants to undertake one of the most rigorous graduate programs in the world?"

"It still isn't enough," Izumi insisted. "Studying the right decision to make is one thing, but actually doing so is another entirely."

"Maybe so," Korra mused. "But it will buy you all ten more years to fully stabilize the Earth Kingdom with Kuvira."

"I do like this plan," Tenzin said cautiously. "But you're assuming that Wu is going to pass all his classes."

Korra smirked in response. Lin did a double take. "You can't be serious!"

"What, I'm just helping out any way I can!" Korra said innocently.

Izumi looked up and prayed for patience. If this is how Aang was like as a youth, it was a miracle her father hadn't throttled him. "You're not going to help him by taking his classes and exams for him and allowing him to get the credit and graduate. That is the equivalent of all of us breaking our backs for the Earth Kingdom only for Raiko to prop Wu up on a pedestal after all the work is finished."

The Avatar balked. "Absolutely not!"

"Then how is-"

"Korra's betting on him taking longer than 10 years, Izumi," Lin clarified, crossing her arms in interest.

"After I talked to Prince Wu, I ran his law school idea by Mako, since he knows Republic City University better than the person who's actually attending. As it turns out, the degree takes five years to complete, but it's the two apprenticeships that take longer."

"Why does Mako know this?" Tenzin muttered.

"Because he has to sit in class with Prince Wu, so he overhears every conversation. Anyways, the apprenticeships take longer because the nations set the terms, not the student. So if he decides to apprentice in the Fire Nation-"

"Then he could be stationed there for a very, very long time," Izumi finished with a newfound respect for the Avatar.

Tenzin massaged his temples. "I don't understand, I thought you were coming here to argue for Prince Wu."

"I am. I'm coming here to argue for both, actually. I do honestly think that with Kuvira at the helm, she will stabilize the Earth Kingdom and bring it into a new golden age. I also think that with sufficient time, Wu could also become a respected leader. But we all need time, and this is the best way to get it."

"Putting a end-date on Kuvira's reign would assuage Raiko," Tenzin noted. "Kuvira too."

"Shit, we still have to deal with Raiko," Lin muttered.

"Mama Lin, I may be young and 'inexperienced', but I know a weasel-snake when I see one. He's just like Tahno playing a probending game. For him, the ends justify the means. He wants glory at any cost, and the plan as you all have it would steal his thunder."

"How, exactly?"

"Raiko's been propping up Wu, right? You three are propping up Kuvira, unarguably the best leader, without any input from him. He's not going to like that, not in the slightest."

"True, but he won't do anything," Lin mused. "He can't risk ruining his image in advance of the elections."

"No, but he could work passive-aggressively," Izumi noted, her bright eyes flashing with new ideas. "Think about it-he's the only nation bordering the Earth Kingdom, so he's in a unique position to act out."

Tenzin crossed his arms. "Izumi, the Northern Air Temple is in the Earth Kingdom."

"Yes, but you and your people swore an oath of non-aggression-you're a null variable in this equation, and that gives him license to do what he pleases. Raiko knows he can't act outright at first, so he'd have to use back-door methods. It would start small, something that isn't right but that can't be protested-say, promoting someone of Fire Nation descent to a lucrative post over a more qualified candidate of Earth Kingdom descent. After a while, he would be bolder. He'd raise tariffs for Earth Kingdom imports, or be especially stringent on immigration paperwork for incoming citizens. It would culminate in something major-maybe a planned riot in some remote Earth Kingdom territory. He'd declare the need to send humanitarian help, dispatch my son's garrison so that I can't call him on his ruse, and he gets all the credit."

"And you think your modified plan can circumvent all of that, Korra?" Lin said, worried for her old charge.

"Let me tell you a story from my pro-bending days. One week Mako had to pull double shifts at the power plant for five days straight, so he couldn't make any of our practices. The only time he could make, in fact, was the time slot that Tahno and his Wolfbats used. As rookies, we couldn't just ask Tahno if he could switch with us-we'd be laughed out of the gym! So we talked up the benefits of our time slot, claimed that it left us extra time to do whatever we wanted, and within a few days Tahno was begging for our slot." Korra paused for a moment. "You have to make him think that this is his idea. Especially the part about electing representatives-there are few things Raiko hates more than being unable to control everything, but if you can make him see that it's a good thing then most of your worries are gone. You'll only have to worry about Kuvira and Bataar's sentencing, but that's nothing compared to this."

"Ah yes, about that-"

Korra groaned. "Did you all ACTUALLY think any of this through? I mean-

"Korra-" Izumi tried interjecting.

"Kuvira started an extensive prison system and excommunicated people who weren't ethnically Earth Kingdom-"

"Korra-"

"And Bataar built a WEAPON out of spirit vines, for the love of Raava-"

"KORRA!" Izumi yelled, finally silencing the Avatar. "They'll be under house arrest here at the Beifong estate, only to leave under extenuating circumstances. Even then, they'll be accompanied by a cadre of White Lotus officers. Now that there's an end-date to Kuvira heading the Earth Kingdom, that's how long they'll be under watch."

"Oh," the Avatar said, reddening. "You might have wanted to start with that."

Izumi's eyes glinted mischievously. "But where is the fun in that?"

"You all have got to be kidding me," Korra grumbled as the adults chuckled.

Izumi's lips quirked into a smile. "It has been a pleasure working with you, Avatar. I'll call the others in, and I'll see you at the meeting."

After Izumi left, Tenzin clasped Korra's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, Korra. I don't know how you did it, but you've found a middle way."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Lin said, warmly smiling at the young woman. The three left the parlor and headed back to the conference room, the trio cautiously optimistic for the future.


	22. Chapter 22

Afte an unexpected mini-hiatus, I'm back! As always, many thanks to my lovely beta reader/collaborator!

Read, review, and enjoy :)

* * *

She still remembered the day Suyin taught her how to use seismic sense.

 _We earthbenders have a unique connection to the ground beneath us,_ Suyin had explained to her, unfolding a rectangular piece of cloth. _Our abilities allow us to feel everything that it touches-the flowers moving in the breeze, the ants crawling over a blade of grass. With seismic sense, we can truly reconnect with nature._

 _Please don't do this!_ Kuvira had whimpered as Su tied the blindfold around her. _I'm scared!_

 _Don't be scared, my love. I'm right here. Just feel for my heartbeat…_

Kuvira thought she had moved past searching for Su's heartbeat when she became a teenager. But after Raiko's declaration, she found her feet already traversing to the study where Su was chatting with her own mother. Old habits die hard, apparently. She might have kept going had she not bumped into her fiance in the courtyard.

"Sweetheart, watch where you're going!" Junior laughed, deftly moving out of the way. Upon noticing her wan features, he stopped her and turned her around to face him. "Sweetheart?"

Kuvira lifted her head to show eyes full of unshed tears. "Oh Bataar," she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Shh, shh, shh, it's okay," he murmured, drawing his love tighter into his arms. Kuvira only cried harder in response. He let her cry it out, rubbing her back until her sobs turned into spastic sputters. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Kuvira only nodded her head in response. Bataar kissed her forehead, took her hand, and slowly led them down one of the garden's paths and to a bench shaded by bonsai trees. "What happened in there?"

"It started off fine, really. I stood up and apologized to the world leaders for all of the terrible things I did to the people of the Earth Kingdom, I gave testimony regarding our use of spirit energy, and then the use of spirit energy was banned by all nations."

"That's-that's good. I don't want to deal with the spirits again until I'm in the Spirit World permanently."

"Makes two of us," Kuvira snorted. "Then the conversation turned to the next steps for leadership in the Earth Kingdom, and that's where things went...south."

Bataar frowned. "How so?"

"Izumi put forth what she had discussed with us the other day...and Raiko just about blew a fuse." Kuvira leaned into Bataar's side embrace. "He said...he said that the only way that the situation could be solved is if he had Korra take my bending away."

"He said _what?"_ her fiance replied, his face contorted with fury. "Where's Raiko, I'm going to-"

"Hey hey hey, you're not going anywhere," Kuvira said, pulling her fiance back down on the bench. Seeing him so aghast was incredibly sweet, but the last thing she needed was Raiko chewing her fiance's head off. "Korra shut him down immediately, and your aunt tore him to shreds in front of all of the world leaders before ensuring that he would never take away anyone's bending. So yes, my bending's safe, thank the Spirits."

"Well, that is good, right?"

"Of course it is! I was just terrified about how energybending would affect my body- if it would affect-" she sighed, catching herself from revealing her pregnancy to Bataar. She wanted her reveal to be a quiet affair, and the last thing she needed was for a world leader to walk in on them. "Regardless, my bending is safe and I am safe. All the world leaders support me continuing to lead the Earth Kingdom except for Raiko and Wu, but that's to be expected."

"Izumi's plan is radical. It's a miracle that she was able to get the other leaders to approve."

"I bet having a dragon that could eat anyone who opposed her doesn't hurt her coercive abilities," Kuvira snarked.

"No, I imagine it wouldn't." Bataar chuckled and drew her into a side hug. "You know, it's supposed to be clear skies tonight. Do you want to stargaze, like old times? I'll even pack us some snacks."

Stargazing had become somewhat of a tradition since they broke away from Zaofu all those years ago; growing up encased in a metal lotus really made one embrace amateur astronomy. "I'd love that," she said, kissing him lightly.

"Look at you two lovebirds."

The couple turned to find Fire Lord Izumi walking towards them, and bowed in greeting. "You two really are so sweet together. As much as I hate to break this up, I'm going to need you back in the meeting room, Kuvira. The sooner we square away this silly nonsense, the better."

"Of course, Fire Lord Izumi." She kissed her fiance once more and walked with the Fire Lord back to the meeting room. She settled into her chair, acknowledging Korra's smile with an incline of her head.

Izumi waited for everyone to settle in before addressing the room. "Welcome back everyone, I hope our recess has allowed us all to clear our heads. Shall we return to the question of leadership in the Earth Kingdom?"

"Yes, but before we do, I just want to say something," Wu said, standing up. Izumi steeled herself. "Look, I know that I have been a less than stellar leader these past few years, but being here at this table has made me realize how much I need to be a part of shaping the future of my nation. But I also know that I have no experience, and I am willing to learn all that I can. That is why, when I finish my studies in two years, I will be staying at my university under the international law and policy program." He looked over to Kuvira, who was listening intently. "I, for one, think you are an excellent leader and would be the best person to lead the Earth Kingdom in these turbulent times. But it shouldn't be your burden to bear forever, and I promise to help you as much as I can even now. By the time I finish, I'll return to Ba Sing Se and take over as king."

Kuvira was impressed. If Wu had been half this forthright and willing to serve in the beginning, she may not have ever needed to create the Earth Empire in the first place. Raiko, on the other hand, seemed less than enthused.

"You realize that program, including the apprenticeships, will take 10 years to complete, correct? Are you willing to give up ruling for that long?"

"I actually think it's a good idea, Raiko," Tonraq said, leaning back in his chair. "The way it was before, it left too much open to interpretation. This time around, it gives us something more concrete to work with."

"I agree with the Earth Kingdom prince," Desna said. "Placing all of the burden on Kuvira's shoulders for an indefinite amount of time is unfair, especially now that the Prince has indicated his willingness to help Kuvira and his country any way that he can."

"This could even serve as a training ground, of sorts, for the Prince's original plan of absolute democracy," Eska mused. "If it works out, perhaps we can revisit his ascendancy once he finishes his degree."

Raiko thought for a moment. "The democracy aspect-it would play out by having people of the Earth Kingdom vote, correct?"

"I see no other way," Eska droned. Her brother snickered but said nothing.

"There are 60 states in the Earth Kingdom, correct? Having one representative each, you'd get nothing done! Your time would be spent managing your advisors when you should be restabilizing the country!"

"Raiko, surely there's another way," Tenzin cajoled.

The president laid back in his chair and sighed. As the leader of a republic and someone who earned his position through the votes of the citizens of the United Republic, he respected the idea of citizens electing their leader. His country, however, had nowhere near the population of the Earth Kingdom, nor the complex history. There had to be another way, something that would involve the Earth Kingdom's citizens but still be manageable…

"What if we cap the maximum number of representatives? How about...10, one representative for every six states?" Raiko spitballed. "It will still give EK citizens a say in their government while ensuring that Kuvira can still focus on repairing the damage she inflicted on the nation."

 _Korra was right-make him think he wants it._ "That works well for me," Tenzin said.

"Alright, so what I have is that Kuvira will continue as leader of the Earth Empire until Prince Wu finishes his international law program in 10 years, at which point the topic of ascendancy will be _**revisited**_. Am I missing anything?" Izumi asked.

"No, I think that's everything," Desna confirmed.

"Wait, I think we are missing something," Tonraq said, thumbing through his notes. "Who is going to advise Kuvira while the elections are underway? I doubt those will take place overnight."

"They won't," Raiko confirmed, leaning back in his chair. Finally, a topic he was comfortable with. "The URN is a fraction of the size of the Earth Kingdom, and it took six months to go through the motions of an election year. That was with a singular president, no less. The individual states will need to vote on what clusters to form and with which states before we can even break the topic of representatives."

"Some states will cluster together relatively easily," Kuvira added. "The sandbender states, for example, have always functioned as a singular unit. But others, like the island states, may prove more difficult to integrate."

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," Raiko sighed, running a hand through his gelled hair.

"Why?" Wu asked, curious.

"It's going to take a while before your idea of elected representatives comes to fruition," Izumi surmised. "Raiko, what's your estimate?"

"My guess? Probably six months to hold a vote on the regional level and after that a year to vote for national representatives. That's assuming everything runs smoothly. Otherwise, from start to finish will take two years at least."

"That's too long to go without advisors," Tonraq said, shaking his head. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"I'll help," Korra volunteered, her eyes brightening. "Helping keep balance is what I do! Plus, my friends can help too. Opal and Bolin already have a solid grasp of the situation, and Asami could help Bataar Junior with the technological aspect of rebuilding the nation."

Lin raised an eyebrow. She couldn't imagine that her niece would be too pleased with being volunteered to work with someone she so despised. Bolin either, considering he deserted Kuvira's army.

"It would be an honor to receive your help, Avatar Korra," Kuvira said, bowing to the young woman across from her. Korra beamed in response.

"I do like the idea of the Avatar helping, but I think we still need other advisors with _more experience_ helping out as well," Raiko mused. "Someone with political experience especially."

"Who are you thinking of, exactly?" Izumi asked, wary of where the conversation was heading.

"I'm nominating General Iroh of the United Forces. He is a highly decorated leader, and could advise Kuvira on military matters."

Izumi raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Objectively speaking, Iroh was an excellent choice. He was a charismatic leader and accomplished strategist, well liked by military and political leaders. Plus, as Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, he knew how to diplomatically engage with the other nations. She had taught him as such, starting from the moment he could string words together. Yet at the same time, Raiko always had something up his sleeve. What else was he planning?

"That is a logical nomination," Izumi begrudgingly acknowledged. "Do you have any others?"

"I do, actually. I nominate Lin and Suyin Beifong as advisors as well."

Lin, caught off guard, nearly fell out of her chair as Wu griped about Raiko stealing his nominations from him. Tenzin furrowed his brow in confusion. What on earth was Raiko planning?

"I admit, President Raiko, your newest nominations confuse me," Desna droned. "Are you so eager to give up your chief of police?"

"Was she not the one who saved your life during Harmonic Convergence?" Eska asked. "Without her, I imagine your beloved jewel of a capital city would fall into unrelenting chaos."

Lin couldn't resist a snort. Korra's cousins were odd creatures, but they were oddly acute observers. Raiko, as if remembering her presence, turned to face the police chief. "I am not eager to- No! I just thought that since- Lin, you are a citizen of the United Republic of Nations, but your homeland needs you more."

The police chief narrowed her eyes. _That's absolute bullshit and you know it-you just want us out of the way and for your precious image to not be harmed._ "As I have told you in the past, I am first and foremost Republic City's Chief of Police. Suyin is first and foremost the matriarch of Zaofu. Quite frankly, I don't see how we would be needed, especially if General Iroh were an advisor. He serves in your military, surely you know how capable he is of helping Kuvira."

"Yes, but I also know that the image of an army general from another nation trying to stabilize the Earth Kingdom will only reflect badly on the URN. But if two highly qualified leaders from one of the nation's oldest noble families were to help? There's not a politician in the world that wouldn't trust Kuvira."

"The only ones who matter already do," Izumi muttered darkly.

Raiko glanced at the Fire Lord and shrugged his shoulders. "You and I will talk later, Chief Beifong."

"Of course, President Raiko." She shared a glance with Izumi and Tenzin; they knew a storm was brewing, but they didn't realize how soon it was going to pour.

"If that's the case, let's put it to a vote. All those in favor of Kuvira continuing as leader of the Earth Kingdom until Prince Wu finishes his education?... Any opposed?... The motion has passed, Kuvira will remain in place as leader of the Earth Empire for the next ten years, at which point this council shall reconvene to discuss the topic of Prince Wu's ascension to the throne." Izumi banged the gavel, signaling the decision as official. Kuvira sat back and sighed in relief. She was more than grateful for the opportunity to continue leading the Earth Kingdom into the modern era-but she was also glad that there was an end date too.

"Now that we all have discussed what this meeting aimed to discuss, may we adjourn this conference?" Eska droned. "I would much rather be teasing my feeble turtle-duck of an ex-fiance."

"We have discussed everything, true," Raiko mused. Izumi restrained herself from groaning; things had been going so well. Too well, really. "But there is still one topic that remains to be discussed."

"Which is?" the Fire Lord asked impatiently. She had a feeling she knew the answer, but she wanted him to say it aloud.

"Punishment," Raiko responded crisply. Kuvira sat up ramrod straight and looked down at her hands, not willing to show any emotion to the president sitting across from her.

"Go on," Izumi said tiredly.

"I propose that while Prince Wu finishes his education in Republic City, Kuvira should be kept under constant surveillance in Ba Sing Se, and Bataar Jr. under house arrest in Gaoling," Raiko said. "All communications will be intercepted and monitored to ensure that both are still carrying out their assigned duties without any unsanctioned side-projects such as the production of mass weaponry."

"Yeah, here's the thing President Raiko," Wu started, lackadaisically twirling around his pen. "You don't technically have any say in this matter."

Raiko's face hardened. "I beg your pardon?"

"All of Kuvira's and Bataar's infractions occurred on Earth Kingdom soil," Izumi clarified. "No one but Prince Wu and actually, Kuvira since we just passed a motion to keep her in her current seat, can influence the decision made on the topic of punishment for said crimes against the people of the Earth Kingdom."

"You must be joking!"

"She's not, President Raiko," Tenzin said. "None of us have any say in the matter. In fact, Prince Wu could declare whatever sentence he sees fit without trial, as he is the head of an absolute monarchy. Unless he would like to appoint his regent that responsibility?"

"No, absolutely not," Kuvira said, looking up at the Air Nomad. "I want this transition of power to be peaceful and legitimate, and I am willing to take the punishment I am given. If Wu invests me with the power to decide my own penance, no one will ever trust the reintegration of the Earth Kingdom as authentic."

"She has a point," Tonraq said. "It was Kuvira who assembled us all here to define the next steps for the Earth Kingdom's government. If Prince Wu imbues her with the power of an absolute monarch, this entire conference will have been for nothing."

"Prince Wu, what are your plans?" Tenzin asked.

The young monarch thought for a moment. "I agree with Kuvira, and as such I will not be investing her with the absolute power of the throne. As for punishment…"

Raiko eagerly leaned forward.

"I'm still deciding both her and her fiancé's sentences."

Izumi, in an uncharacteristic outburst of unguarded emotions, burned her notes in a spark of blue flames, their ashes floating lazily onto her robes. "Prince Wu, you cannot be serious!"

"Fire Lord Izumi, they have committed unprecedented crimes of an unforgivable nature on an incomprehensible scale. The only analog I see is in your grandfather Lord Ozai's punishment, but Korra is not a weapon to be used whenever leaders want to neutralize benders. Plus, I can't afford for her to be tossed into some dark dungeon if she's to lead our nation in my absence. And her fiancé is a brilliant engineer—I've studied his designs for the train in my classes, and I can only imagine how my nation will he revolutionized with his designs. So how can I punish them? Do you have any ideas?"

The Fire Lord grit her teeth. She was the primary advocate for Kuvira and Bataar continuing to serve the Earth Kingdom, and had willingly taken on securing their redemption; this is not to say that she was unaware of their misdeeds, and knew that they needed to answer for their crimes. Yet what good would her suggestions be? Wu, the little twit, had an absolute say in all of his kingdom's affairs. She'd have better luck talking to that earthbender boy's fire ferret.

"How about you take the night to decide, Prince Wu?" Tenzin suggested. "When Kuvira announces her decision to step down and dissolve the Earth Empire tomorrow, you could then declare their fates."

Kuvira nodded silently in assent. She was used to making speeches, was planning on doing so after this conference ended, but this particular one filled her with nothing but dread. And to think her people still had no idea what was happening...

Izumi grabbed her gavel before any other moves could be made. "If that's all we have left to discuss, then the meeting is adjourned." With a crack, she ended the discussion before anyone could object.

Tenzin and Izumi waited patiently for the other world leaders to filter out before Tenzin turned to face a simmering Lin. "You two, with me. _Now."_

* * *

"Whose bright idea was it to hold peace accords, again?" Lin muttered, throwing back the last of her whiskey and setting down her glass with a sharp _clack_.

"Kuvira, of course," Izumi said, a hint of snark in her voice. It had been three hours since the meeting had finished, three hours that the trio had to sit through a celebratory dinner and toast to the 'end' of the accords. All of them, Lin especially, could not get out of there fast enough. "Stay for the toast, or don't, I'm out of here," she muttered, kissing a confused Chen goodnight and leaving. Tenzin and Izumi stayed just long enough to affirm their position on the accords before leaving. It didn't take long for them to find Lin in her grandfather's old receiving room, sprawled out on the platform with a glass in one hand and a newly opened bottle of whiskey in the other. Tenzin nervously sat in an armchair while Izumi propped herself by the doorframe, taking an already empty bottle with her.

"By which you mean us. Well, mostly you, Zumi."

"Ha ha," the Fire Lord replied dryly, rolling her eyes.

"You know, I actually had high hopes for this summit? Now, look what's happened!"

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting Prince Wu to actually take an interest in his people, or for Korra to be so intensely invested in the outcome, but I don't see that necessarily derailing our plans."

Lin lifted her head a fraction. "You really didn't think Korra would be invested in keeping balance?"

"Neither of you are worried about Prince Wu?" Tenzin asked timidly.

"Wu, with the help of the Avatar, has arranged for himself a ten-year furlough from ruling. I don't need to be bothered with him," Izumi sniffed. "But Lin, you can't blame me for being worried about Korra's ability to handle her duties when all the reports I've ever gotten focus on her hot-headedness and impulsivity. And didn't she say that had been seriously ill for the better part of these past three years?"

"She's healed completely since the poisoning attempt," Lin said tightly. "Just took a visit to my mother to set things straight."

The Fire Lord paused. "The poison running through Korra's veins was metallic? And you didn't get it all out?"

"Yep-liquid mercury. But I wasn't the one who saved Korra's life. That was my sister."

"Let me get this straight: Suyin Beifong, founder of the Metal Clan, couldn't metalbend out poison?" Izumi shook her head in disappointment. She couldn't say she was surprised. Like her aunt Azula, Su was a natural prodigy; as such, Su became overconfident and neglected the subtleties of metalbending. "And this is who Raiko has posited as the Next Great Hope for the Earth Kingdom."

"Fuck, I had almost forgotten about that." Sitting herself up, her fingers dug into the iron seams of the platform, where she found one familiar heartbeat dragging another. "Speaking of which, we've got company."

At that moment Suyin burst into the receiving room, dragging an irritated Raiko behind her. "You tell her what you told me. Go ahead, I dare you to lie to my sister the same way you lied to me!"

"He's not lying, Su," Lin sighed. "He really did nominate us again to help sort out the newest mess in the Earth Kingdom."

The younger Beifong sister flushed in anger as she turned to the president of the URN. " _Why_ would you do such a thing?" She snarled before throwing the man on the ground.

"Because quite frankly, your nation wouldn't be in this mess if you Beifongs had stepped up when Master Tenzin and I originally asked," Raiko responded tartly as he shook himself off.

Lin shook her head. "Raiko, may I remind you once more that I was not only born in Republic City but am also its chief of police? I couldn't just up and leave on the account that some people _might_ take me more seriously because of my last name!"

"Perhaps so," Raiko said disbelievingly, his grey eyes unblinking as he turned to face Suyin. "And you, Matriarch of Zaofu? What is your reason?"

"I wasn't going to force my ideas on an entire nation and be seen as a conqueror, Raiko. Those aren't the ideals I built Zaofu on."

"Ah yes, your ideas. It's funny that you bring them out now, considering that those same ideas would have been of tantamount importance in securing and stabilizing your nation. And yet when other world leaders asked for your help, which they never should have had to do, you have the audacity to refuse to help your fellow countrymen? Can you imagine Fire Lord Izumi turning down the ability to help others on account of her morals?"

"I would never," Izumi stated, her eyes flashing.

"Then why didn't you ask her instead?" Suyin fumed. "Wouldn't she make a much better candidate?"

The Fire Lord raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember your history lessons from school, or did those only happen after you were exiled from Republic City?"

Suyin crossed her arm, silently fuming. She knew all about the Fire Nation's history in the Earth Kingdom-as is to be expected when Fire Lord Zuko was a family friend-but that shouldn't have stopped Raiko from asking Izumi for help. She would have been the one to consult on restabilizing a nation torn apart, not her.

"Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking Su. 'Raiko should have consulted Izumi, She does currently preside over a nation that knows how to rebuild itself after being forced to pay absurd reparations and subject to debilitating sanctions for decades..' But imagine that Raiko and Tenzin had sought out my help. How well would that have been received, exactly? No one at all would even dare to consider the Fire Nation might be thinking of reestablishing the colonies, only this time, WITH the approval of the United Republic it helped to make and the Air Nation it sought to obliterate! I am sure such a proposal would have gone over seamlessly, don't you think? They'll understand we're only doing it for their benefit since they clearly aren't capable of self-governing. They need foreign intervention… foreign wealth and prosperity." Izumi glanced admonishingly at Su. "Now do you see why I wasn't asked?"

Su, mirroring her sister's posture, crossed her arms and humphed. Izumi rolled her eyes and faced Raiko. "Could our present situation be better had the Beifongs taken over stabilizing the Earth Kingdom three years ago? Perhaps. What is certain, however, is the ruin that will await you should you send the Beifongs as envoys to Kuvira's government."

"How, exactly? What I see is sending two extremely capable officials to help legitimize this new stage in the Earth Kingdom's history. In one official's case, it just happens to have a better work-life balance than her current position. You have a daughter, don't you? Wouldn't you like to spend more time with her?"

Lin narrowed her eyes at the man. "Knowing you, I'd end up spending even less."

"Raiko, be rational," Tenzin reasoned. "You send Lin as an envoy and security in Republic City, much less the rest of the United Republic, will fall apart! All our major cities look to Lin's example for guidance in ensuring the safety of their citizens, you know that!"

"This is true, but I've seen Saikhan's work under the deceased Councilman Tarrlok's command. He did fine work, and I have no doubt that he would maintain Chief Beifong's exacting standards."

"If you call being easily influenced 'fine work,'" Izumi muttered.

"Maintain yes, but if I'm to be a full-time envoy that won't last for long," Lin warned, pointing a lazy but condescending finger at the 'elected' president. Izumi watched her carefully. Lin had a liver of steel, but it wouldn't be long before the full effects of two bottles of firewhiskey hit. "Saikhan is a good man and an even better Lieutenant, but he's not me and the triads know that. They'll tear him apart and eat away at the foundations I've laid. And remember all of those liberties Tarrlok gave him during the Equalist debacle? Together they not only instigated an unconstitutional curfew, but they also discriminated against half the population of the fucking city in the name of 'public safety.' And that certainly wouldn't reflect well on you in an election year, now would it?"

Raiko's jaw tightened, much to Lin's pleasure. Now she had his full attention. "So what _are_ you proposing exactly?"

"I'm a part-time envoy. We get someone else. Could be Saikhan even, considering he has dual citizenship through his father and trained at my family's metalbending academy in Gaoling. Either way, you get to keep your reputation as a protector, and I get to keep my job. I can even advise the envoy if you're so inclined. But I'm not leaving my job, Raiko."

The president mulled over his options. He wanted Lin out of his way during the upcoming election, true, but if crime rose while she was gone he'd never get re-elected…

"Fine," he found himself saying. "You can be a part-time envoy." He turned to Suyin. "Looks like you'll have to pick up your sister's slack."

"You realize you have no authority over me, right?" Su asked, her eyebrow raised. "Perhaps I should remind you, Raiko, that the Zaofu Institute of the Sciences sends many of its graduates to the United Republic, and especially to Republic City. Not to mention, mind you, that your metalbending police force has an exchange program with my elite Metal Clan guard. It would be a shame if something were to jeopardize those programs, hm?"

"I understand your reluctance to work with Kuvira, I do—"

"Do you? Do you really?" Su asked, crossing her arms.

"Surely by this point, you realize just how terrible a mistake it was to not accept my offer the first time around! If you had, then your captain of the guard might not have up and started the Earth Empire!"

Tenzin winced, Izumi clasped her hands, and Lin shifted into a steadier stance. If Su was going to tear the room apart, she needed to be ready to put it back together.

Su glared icily at the president, her fingers flexing. "My methods work for my city and my city alone-Zaofu does not have to contend with centuries, no, millennia of backward thinking! The Earth Kingdom, on the other hand, is run by pomp and ceremony, depending on traditions that have existed as long as the Avatar! My type of modernization would have torn it apart."

"You could adapt?"

"Adapting my ideals for the entirety of the Earth Kingdom would have corrupted them. What good would that have done?"

"If you see no value in adapting your beliefs, then perhaps it is time you examined them more closely," Izumi muttered under her breath.

"You were an Earth Kingdom ruler who placed more importance on maintaining her protectorate than aiding the rest of her nation," Raiko said through gritted teeth, trying to keep things civil. The last thing he needed was the Beifong family on his bad side. "I am giving you the chance to rectify that mistake and help create a better nation going forward. Isn't that why you built Zaofu? To improve the standard of living for yourself and your people? If your methods are so flawless, they should be applicable to any and every city!"

"You think the Earth Kingdom would listen to me? The Earth Kingdom who had an emperor from the day it was founded until three years ago? The Earth Kingdom that still places their emphasis on traditions long, long outdated? The Earth Kingdom wouldn't know change even if it smacked them in the face!"

"That is where you're wrong," Izumi chimed in. "The people of the Earth Kingdom are suffering from looting and famine, situations that are exacerbating already terrible conditions. By leaving Zaofu and actually helping Ba Sing Se, Kuvira changed everything! She gave them hope until she started imprisoning dissenters and people she considered as 'foreign.'" Izumi took a breath to steady herself. "When a man is hungry enough and afraid enough, tradition loses prevalence. The people of the Earth Kingdom _are_ ready to listen to anyone who won't rob them of their able-bodied sons and start another war! If you truly think your efforts will be in vain, then you are just as ignorant as you are cowardly!"

"If you think the people are so willing to listen to anybody, why don't YOU take the task of unifying the Earth Kingdom?"

"Didn't she just say-" Tenzin tried to interject timidly.

"If I do, I most certainly will START with Zaofu! And where will that leave you? As a colony of the Fire Nation?" Izumi challenged, blue fire flaring up over her arms as she slammed her palms on the bar. "You'd be dressed head to toe in black and red, your dance schools permanently _closed_ , your media censored, and all your titles stripped sooner than you can bend a meteor rock towards my army in protest. All statues of Toph Beifong disassembled and shipped to Republic City where the war hero actually served so that everyone forgets that you were ever the daughter of such an esteemed hero of war!"

Izumi, remembering herself, took a deep breath, sat back down and extinguished the flames around her, trying, with great effort, to regain her regal composure as the room looked on in horror. "In all seriousness, I was rather hoping it _wouldn't_ come to this."

"Look, Raiko, we've gone over this already," Lin snapped. "Kuvira will be in charge of the rebuilding of the Earth Kingdom, and nothing you can do or say will change our minds _or_ the minds of the other world leaders who agreed to that point during the accords. Try something, and I'll-"

"You'll do what, exactly?" Raiko asked. "What could you possibly do?"

"It's not her you should be worried about, but us," Izumi murmured, already drawing fire into her palm. Tenzin, Lin noted with surprise, was out of the chair, hands at the ready. "It's been a long day, Raiko. I would get some rest if I were you, lest you say something that cannot be taken back."

Raiko stared down the Fire Lord until he stalked off, slamming the door behind him. After he was gone, Izumi addressed the rest of the room. "That goes for you all too. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Without another word she swept out of the room, her robes flowing behind her.

* * *

The next day dawned bright and early, the air crisp. Kuvira turned over to get out of bed only to find Bataar in a deep sleep, his arm slung over her body. She held onto his arm, gently pressing kisses as she extricated herself from his embrace. Though she would never say it publicly, she loved their mornings together, the quiet moments that passed as they laid tangled up in each other. With the impending end of the Earth Empire, they would have nothing but those mornings to look forward to.

Well, at least until the children arrived.

She still hadn't told him. Not after the disaster of the peace accords, and certainly not after Wu left their fate up in the air. She didn't want to think about what that could entail-she just wanted to think about now, and now entailed pulling herself together for her final speech to her soldiers.

Spirits help them. They just think that their commander has finally returned to finish their original mission. They have no idea what's coming.

With a sigh, she stepped into her uniform-slightly tighter than she remembered it being, but still manageable-and bent on her metal plates. It wasn't until after she finished braiding her hair back into its signature bun that she felt Bataar stirring.

"Hey gorgeous," he murmured, his lips upturned into a sleepy smile. Kuvira sat on the edge of the bed and kissed him awake, her hands roaming up and down his toned back. "You look so sharp in that uniform."

Kuvira stood up and spun around for him before adjusting herself in the mirror. "Well, enjoy the view because this is the last time I'm ever wearing it."

Bataar sat himself up and began polishing his glasses. "How do you feel?"

"I feel…relieved, honestly. I wanted peace and unity for the Earth Kingdom, and what happened instead was anything but. Maybe one day I can forgive myself for my actions, but until then I won't stop working on making our nation a better place, for us and for everyone else." She paused her a moment, her gaze lingering on her fiancé. "How do you feel about the sentencing after?"

Bataar bristled. Having to explain that, no, the accords weren't completely over until her speech at the base had not gone over well. Neither had explaining that, thanks to the Earth Kingdom's absolute monarchy, they were completely at the mercy of whatever punishment Wu was set to deliver afterward. "I don't like the idea of us being at someone's mercy," he said haltingly. "Do you have any idea what Wu will say?"

"No," Kuvira murmured, her focus on an errant button. "I have no idea. Based on the limited interactions I've had with him, he means well and wants to do what's right."

"That's not telling me anything, Kuv. You have a theory, don't you?"

"You know me too well," she responded, a small smile on her lips. "My guess is that the punishment will be just but generous. House arrest in Ba Sing Se is almost a certainty due to my new position as regent. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same for you, especially considering the headquarters for the Kingdom's Engineering Corps is in the Middle Ring. It just makes the most sense."

Her fiance stood up and held her close. "I know this will all work out. I believe in you, my love." He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Now come. The last thing we want to do is run late to our own military base."

It took a surprisingly little time to reach their Gaoling base. Having been gone for so long, she had almost forgotten her base network. Not that she had time to process the revelation. Immediately after she and Bataar arrived she was hailed as a hero, her soldiers whooping and screaming her name as she followed the base commander to the hangar, the only place big enough to house everyone on base for the speech. Only Bataar noticed how tightly she grabbed the microphone, how she was straining to keep her voice even. She was in _pain_ , and she couldn't even show it.

"Good afternoon soldiers. As I am sure you all have heard, I have fully healed following the malfunctioning of the spirit cannon here in Gaoling. I thank you all for your well-wishes.

"While I was healing, I had time to reflect on the history of our nation. The people of the earth have historically been at the mercy of heartless rulers who cared more about themselves than about they meant to serve. How many of you were subject to the Earth Queen's harsh taxes, or the generations before us to the predatory Fire Lords of years past? Your lands were taken, your wealth robbed-and there was no end in sight. For a country so strong in resources, it seemed we would forever impoverished by someone bigger, by someone stronger-by someone who saw us as worthless. That is why the Red Lotus' assassination of the Earth Queen Hou Ting and subsequent destruction of the walls of Ba Sing Se was a watershed moment-we were finally free from the oppressive power that had plagued us for so long. But with so much freedom so quickly, things became worse. Ba Sing Se first succumbed to chaos and was soon followed by the rest of the nation. Gangs of bandits roamed the lands and attacked whoever crossed their paths. Every day brought news of another town attacked, another riot in the city-something had to be done. So, when those asked to didn't extend their help, I stepped up.

"Now, I'm sure you all know the history from here. I along with much of the elite Zaofu guard left the state to help however we could. Within two weeks, we had completely stabilized Ba Sing Se. We built a transit system that, for the first time ever, connected the states to each other. The increased mobility of supplies and troops enabled us to implement a standardized system of law and order. For the first time, the people of the earth had a system of government they could count on. I was optimistic that, given enough time, we could reach our full potential and restore the strength of our nation.

"What I did not realize, however, was how much it would cost to get there-and how far I was willing to go. Suppressing dissidence, enacting trade embargoes, establishing prison camps were- at the time- were seen as necessary to securing stability and ensuring prosperity for my people. It was not until I was nearly killed by a weapon of our own creation, the spirit canon that would have become the pride of our nation that I realized something: I am neither better than the despots of years past, nor worth no more than any of those I imprisoned who were merely trying to get by, and survive wherever they were. I imprisoned thousands of people because of their ethnicity or because of their stance on my campaign. In trying to better the lives of my people I made them worse, failing to recognize the impact such actions would have on their families, friends, towns-for that I will always be sorry. No words can fully explain how truly I wish I had not caused you all pain.

Kuvira paused to take a breath. "And that is why, effective immediately. I am not only stepping down as the Commander of the Earth Empire, I am dissolving it in the name of the Earth Kingdom."

"You must be wondering why I would do such a thing, especially considering the Kingdom's Heir only months ago was an evidently young, naive, and ignorant prince who was rather obviously not ready to rule so was I when I embarked on this journey to unify my nation. I have come to realize that I was wrong about Prince Wu. In him, I only saw the self-absorbed personality of his great-aunt. I missed his desire to learn how to best serve his constituents, and his commitment to do right by his people. I see a ruler with the capacity to bring his people into a golden age of prosperity to all in time, and I am dedicating myself to helping him every step of the way. I can only ask now that all of you will do the same."

"It has been my greatest honor serving with you these past three years, and it is my greatest hope that we can serve alongside each other once more. Thank you all for your service and loyalty as _**we**_ **,** citizens of the Earth Kingdom, continue our march forward behind the Hou-Ting Dynasty!"

Putting down the microphone, she scanned the room. A few photographers began to take pictures, their camera shutters the only sounds echoing in the large hangar. Her soldiers stood frozen in place, shock the only emotion registering on their faces.

And then, the uproar.

Not from her soldiers, surprisingly enough-they were still shocked silent-but from the journalists that had gathered for the speech.

"Kuvira, what prompted you to make this decision?"

"Kuvira, what are your next moves?"

"How do you anticipate helping the next emperor of the Earth Kingdom?"

"What will become of your people in the Earth Kingdom?"

She didn't even recognize her voice as she spoke. "There will be no comments, thank you!" She shakily set down the microphone and took Bataar's pro-offered arm. The journalists and photographers were clamoring for answers as he rushed her to the waiting car, the soldiers at the base staring dumbfoundedly after them. Once they got in, Kuvira sank against Bataar. "I hated every minute of that speech. And did you see everyone's faces? Spirits, I wouldn't be surprised if their rebellion is the next great catastrophe that we have to worry about!"

Bataar, who had been stroking her hair, stopped. "Sweetheart, did you mean every word in your speech?"

Kuvira turned to look at her fiancé, aghast. Seriously? After everything they had gone through, he had the _gall_ to ask that question? "Yes, of course, how could you-"

"No, I know. And if your sol-your former soldiers- if they know you as well as they should know you, then they'll know you meant it too."

She kissed him and laid against his chest for the rest of the car ride, watching the fields of Gaoling pass them by until they were at the Beifong estate. Once they were out of the car, they saw Asami and Mako waiting for them.

"Bataar, Kuvira," Mako greeted stiffly. "The world leaders are waiting for you."

The young metalbender tightly grasped Bataar's hand. "It's time, isn't it?"

Asami nodded, her gaze indecipherable. She and Mako flanked the couple as they accompanied the group to another receiving room, more spacious than the one Lin usually used. Prince Wu was sitting cross-legged on the mahogany platform, while the Avatar and the other world leaders were sitting behind him. Everyone else was seated facing the platform, the Zaofu Beifongs glaring at Kuvira. Chen looped her arm around Lin's and held it tightly, looking on worriedly as Asami and Mako showed Kuvira and Bataar to the two empty seats facing Wu. Once everyone was settled, Wu cleared his throat.

"Hello, everyone, I, Prince Wu of the Hou-Ting dynasty would like to thank you all for coming today. As the monarch of the Earth Kingdom, I alone am charged with deciding the fate of my citizens, and it is a role that I take seriously, especially for _who_ I'm deciding the fates for-Kuvira and Bataar Beifong, traitors to the Earth Kingdom.

"Kuvira, formerly the Great Uniter of the Earth Empire and formerly _formerly_ the Captain of the Guard of Zaofu, united the disparate states of the Earth Kingdom into submission using immoral intimidation tactics including, bleeding states dry until they cave in to her requests, imprisoning dissenting civilians and the like, and so on and so forth.

"Bataar Beifong, of Zaofu, aided in the uniting of the disparate states using his extensive knowledge of geography and structural and civil engineering. His unending pursuit of knowledge, however, led to the defiling the purest of energy sources, spirit energy-an energy that nearly killed not only an innocent bystander but his own fiancee."

Chen leaned her head against her mom's shoulder and sighed. Lin kissed the top of her head but kept her eyes on Wu.

"In addition to employing such illicit methods to execute your assigned mission to unite the Earth Kingdom, you refused to step down when originally agreed upon and thus should be sentenced death for high treason. But both of you also did a number of great deeds for the nation such as improving the national infrastructure, reducing poverty drastically, and increasing the mobility of citizens and information. As such, your cases are unique and thus require a sentencing to match. For Kuvira…"

She held her breath.

"House arrest in the Royal Palace of Ba Sing Se where you will continue to use your skill in rhetoric and your influence to continue to aid the people of the Earth Kingdom as I see fit and… for Baatar…"

The Beifongs leaned forward.

"House arrest here in Gaoling where you will be in the service of the Earth Kingdom Engineering Corp for ten years, to clean up the mess you helped to make of the city proper and the rest of the nation."

Both Baatar and Kuvira let out sighs of relief and terse breaths neither realized they were holding and barely glanced at each other before Wu ended the hearing with "That will be all, thank you. The meeting is adjourned." And this time, it was he who banged the gavel on the platform upon which he sat.

Izumi stood up and bowed politely to Wu. "Well done, Prince Wu. You are maturing yet."

"You really think so?"

Izumi nodded her affirmation along with the Water Tribe Chieftains. As Wu began to talk, Kora found her gaze wandering over to Bataar and Kuvira. While the Zaofu Beifongs were visibly relieved (Su was openly weeping), Kuvira was frozen in place.

They weren't going to be together. And there was nothing she could do that could change that.


End file.
